How to steal a heart
by Melon Massacre
Summary: "You're a thief, Fei. If you want something, take it." (Feitan X OC)
1. Chapter 1

**Hey there, I'm Melon and this is the first fic that I actually decided on going along with, so I hope you enjoy! **

**This first chapter is going to be kinda short, but I just used it to describe the situation.**

Chapter One

It had been approximately two years since all the Phantom Troupe members had gathered in one place

It had been approximately two years since the 11th Phantom Troupe member, Uvogin's,death.

And it had been two years since the Phantom Troupe had a run-in with their enemy, the chain user.

Anticipation filled the tight, dusty air. Chrollo Lucilfer feels this as the last of the Troupe members arrive.

Shalnark and Phinks are late, as per usual.

"This place looks like it's going to fall over." Phinks mutters while adjusting his new, "casual" track suit. The two men look up at the run down hotel which sat in a seemingly abandoned town in the middle of the desert. A town which, for all they cared, was nameless.

"Yeah, but it's definitely nothing compared to home-sweet-home." Says Shalnark, who looks at the other spider with his signature grin. "I wonder what could be troubling the boss so much that caused him to send out an urgent message." He continues as they step into the hotel.

Phinks glances at the fallen floorboards and ceiling tiles covered in dust all over the cold wooden floor while silently stating:

"It takes a lot to concern the boss."

* * *

The door swings open with a loud creak then hits the wall with a dull thud as Phinks and Shalnark enter the room.

Feitan, the Troupe's interrogator, looks up at them from his uncomfortable position on the floor. Only Phinks approaches him while Shalnark takes a spot near Kortopi and Machi, taking his place on a computer desk; which threatened to collapse beneath him. The room of spiders is silent while their leader, Chrollo, stands near a window, gazing out into the dark desert; his back is facing them. A smile spread across his face despite the grim situation.

Nobunaga, Kalluto, Shizuku and Franklin sit silently in the middle of the room. The four are playing a card game, a silent and awkward one.

"So we're just waiting on Bonolenov..?" asks Shalnark to Machi, who gave a careless shrug in response.

"Don't know. Nobody has said a word since I got here."

Still grinning, Shalnark crosses his arms and exhales loudly. "Well, guess we'll just need to wait and see."

"He could be dead." Says the kunoichi again.

Shalnark chuckled silently. "Is that so? I doubt thats even possible-"

"Its the truth."

Attention from every Troupe member turns to their leader, who held a book close to his chest with one hand and balled his other into a gentle fist at his side. He closes his eyes and turns to face the spiders.

"Tomorrow," he begins, "we set out to YorkNew City. We're being targeted, I suggest you find some "casual" clothing until we get to our destination located in a forest just past YorkNew." He pauses to look all the members in the eyes. "Bonolenov, Uvogin, Pakunoda. Their deaths are the fault of the Chain User."

Questions invade each spider's mind.

The atmosphere seems to thicken. The spiders are not quite surprised, nor do they feel threatened. The thick tension that fills the air is each and every individual spider's excitement.

"Really...? So, the little blonde kid is trying to pick us off one by one." Nobunaga laughs, "That little shit!"

"The chain user is less likely to attack when we're all together especially since my nen has been restored. This is not a mission to steal, but a mission to avenge the fallen. At this point it is safe to assume that the Spider as a whole has been truly threatened. We know now that the chain user's abilities only work on us, so we'll be grouping with allies."

Phinks asks the question on every spider's mind.

"Since when do we have allies?!"

"Since I was isolated from the rest of you. I set off to the east towards Greed Island. On my way there, I met a man named Argo Kazeryu." Chrollo opens the book in his hands and flips around, watching the pages turn with an expression that any normal person would describe as wonderment. "His group is known as the 'Desdemona Shadowmen' and they are very, very interesting. They stay in a place very dense forest just north of YorkNew, I promise the location's conditions will not disappoint you. Argo offered to me his location if for whatever reason, I needed him. You will find that my friend is very trustworthy."

Content with his leader's response, Phinks finds himself lost in thought. To gain Chrollo's respect is difficult and becoming friends with him was even harder.

'Hmmm... friends..' He thought, focusing his vision on a small, dead insect that sat sprawled on its back near his shoe. He was unsure if he could even call the other troupe members "friends". He wonders... did Chrollo consider all of them... "friends" ?

Certainly he couldn't, no Troupe member had even said that word in each others presence.

'That Argo guy must be the real deal...'

Phinks's eyes focus back on his leader, who is looking down at a page in his book with a warm gaze.

"And once we reach our location, will we plan our attack? Do we even have the information we need?" Phinks questions once again

"Obviously." Feitan says silently, receiving only a glare from Phinks in return.

"Get some rest, we'll be walking almost all day tomorrow." Is the last instruction the spiders recieve from their leader before he leaves them to sleep.

* * *

**I wonder where the Spiders will be going, heheh C: Thank you for reading, pal! I'll update as soon as I can!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello! So in this chapter there's going to be much more Feitan, which I assume is what you're here for cx I added some development with Kalluto as well so, enjoy!**

***WARNING* SLIGHT GORE**

* * *

Chapter Two

Feitan did not sleep at all that night. That was okay, he can stand a few days without sleep anyways. He feels a bit sluggish but he is not at his worst.

All night he had found himself wrapped in thought in the basement of the old hotel.

It is dark, but not pitch black in the dusty basement. He prefers it that way. He has no problem navigating through the room. As gyo guides him around the maze of wooden crates and chairs, he notices that most of the boxes in the back of the rectangular room are taller that him.

That would have been shocking if he wasn't so short.

The boxes are piled against the back, brick wall. They sit as tall as the high ceiling, reaching the wooden beams that supports the floor above him.

After making his observations, Feitan sighs and takes a seat on the cold concrete floor. He rests up against one of the largest of the crates and prepares to fall asleep.

But he just cant with all those damn mice squeaking!

"Tch."

He stands, surveying the room.

A small box near the bottom of the large pile jerks upward and side to side. he decides that it must be the source of the squeaking and calmly walks over to it, kneeling by its side. He lifts the crate to reveal three small mice, plump and round.

He rests his arm on his knee and chin in his hand and just sits. He watches them try to dart into other boxes. They still try, despite the fact that there is no escape. One tries to scurry past him, but fails. Feitan picks the small creature up by its short, thin tail. He thinks that he may as well pass some time while he was down there.

* * *

Kalluto simply could not sleep near the other Troupe members.

There was no way he was going to be able to doze off next to someone like Kortopi! He could handle most of the spiders, but some of them just freaked him the hell out!

Something about the way Kortopi's left eye illuminates through his long, white, messy hair chills him to the bone. He is small, maybe only four feet tall, that that makes him even freakier.

Kalluto removes his wooden-heeled sandals to avoid noise and sneaks past the sleeping spiders and out of the room. After carefully shutting the door, he makes his way down the dirty, carpeted stairs to the lobby. He lifts his purple and black floral kimono to avoid getting it messy.

He guessed that it was probably around 3am. He had sat in the dusty room with the rest of the spiders for maybe four hours after the Troupe's meeting. He decides to find a different room to sleep in.

The hotel is a decent size, Kalluto doesn't stray far from the others but still explores a various number of rooms. Not one of the rooms fits his standards, so he settles for the cleanest room he could find.

There was no furniture in the old hotel, so he chooses the warmest, coziest corner of the room and closes his eyes. He begins to drift off, but a quiet, muffled squeaking wakes him back up. He rubs his tired eyes and groans in annoyance. He honestly doesn't want to play exterminator, but it seems as though he had no other choice if he wanted to get a few hours of sleep.

As he walks out of the room searching for the source of the squeaking, he begins to wonder...

What could killua be doing right now?

After concluding that his brother was probably asleep, Kalluto dismisses those thoughts. He had to focus on the task at hand. He cant be worrying about his brother when he was already so close to finding him. Kalluto knows that Killua was affiliated with the Chain User and that the Phantom Troupe would soon lead him right to him.

Killua was only just out of his reach.

Kalluto stopped at the lobby once again, using his ears to lead him to a door right behind the front desk with a label on it that read: STAFF ONLY.

The squeaking gets louder as he presses his ear to the door. So, he opens it.

The room is littered by dust balls and wood scraps. A single desk sits in the corner of the room next to an open door. Beyond the open door are stairs leading downwards, where he heard the sounds of violent, distressed squeaks.

And the sound of laughter.

Immediately, he conceals his presence with Zetsu.

Had the Troupe not been alone the entire night?

He takes out his fan, ready to attack the intruder in the basement. Kalluto slowly descends the stairs, careful to not place his foot on any squeaky boards. When he finally reaches the cold, concrete basement floor, he meets with a room full of wooden crates.

He relaxes a bit after seeing Feitan crouching over by a large quantity of boxes. Kalluto then notices what he had been doing.

'gross...' He thought as he watches Feitan rip through the belly of a small rodent, grabbing its tiny organs and squishing them in between his fingertips. The mouse was long dead, Kalluto notices this when he sees that the head of the rodent sat at Feitan's side.

Feitan is the Troupe's interrogator, and often he used the art of torture to get answers. Kalluto knows this. But did Feitan really need to practice? Or maybe he just loves the pained squeals that came from the mice. Kalluto could relate, but even he thought it was strange.

'Freak...'

Feitan doesn't exactly scare Kalluto with his strange sadistic nature, but he definitely finds him intimidating. Feitan is a strong, fast and extremely skilled swordsman who can wield any weapon with both of his hands. Feitan was able to take down the Chimera Ant queen while Kalluto wouldn't have stood a chance.

Kalluto stands behind a large crate with Zetsu still active, watching Feitan curiously.

With a flick of his wrist, Feitan (who does not notice him even after relaxing) discards the dead rodent, sending it flying to the other side of the room and into a pile of dead mice. The mouse carcass hits the wall, and lands into the pile along with the others.

Kalluto watches him for another hour, unsure how to leave unnoticed. He had to admit that watching him torture the mice was just plain disgusting, even if Kalluto somewhat enjoys other's pain as well.

Feitan's laughter isn't loud, nor did it really sound anything like laughing. When the quiet spider digs his fingernails into each dead rodent's body, he makes a small, happy sound that one could maybe classify as a giggle. Kalluto only ever sees him in such a state during and sometimes after battle. Kalluto decides that it is too dangerous to pursue him.

He waits until the others awaken, which takes roughly two more hours. After Phinks retrieves Feitan, Kalluto waits until they left the hotel to follow after them.

Or at least that was the plan before Feitan notices him, sending him an amused glare before following Phinks up the stairs.

Defeated, Kalluto joins them.

* * *

**So what did you think? I tried to bring out Feitan's personality versus someone a bit more "normal" in the troupe just for a comparison. Chapter three is on its way, and it will serve as the introduction to the mysterious "Desdemona Shadowmen" and my main OC. Thank you for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! So at first I wanted to have this chapter published earlier, but plans came up so here I am at 12am giving you a special delivery, and I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter three.

The Troupe finally reaches their destination around 5pm, a bit earlier than their leader had anticipated.

Chrollo stops halfway up the dirt path that leads to the entrance of the large mansion.

Its an old building, but at least it wasn't falling apart like the hotel they had spend the night in. It sits in a field of dead grass, surrounded by trees.

The building itself is perhaps five stories tall. The architecture is semi-gothic and semi-modern with tall windows that come to a point at the top. Its roof is flat with a black iron fence surrounding its perimeter, similar to the fence surrounding the property. Spiked vines lace around the brown bricks of the wall and columns that supports a small balcony a few stories above the large oak double doors that serve as the main entrance.

Nobunaga is the only one to approach it, cautiously making his way up the stairs. The others wait patiently at the other end of the path.

"It is very silent." Kortopi observes, watching as Nobunaga knocks on the door.

"Maybe nobody is home?" Questions Shizuku while glancing at Chrollo, who was just smiling.

"No, they're home." He glances back at Phinks, Feitan and Shalnark. The trio are hunched over a plant, and seem to be settling a dispute.

* * *

"Im telling you, those are poisonous."

"And Im telling you that those are hickory nuts!"

"They're buckeye."

"Why don't you eat it and find out, Phinks?"

Shalnark laughs at Feitan's quick comment while Phinks seems to not appreciate it at all and expresses his anger by throwing his hands in the air.

"Fine! If it will shut you two assholes up, I'll eat it."

Feitan and Shalnark know no limits when it comes to teasing Phinks. The three get along quite well and often partner up during missions.

But neither of them once considered each other "friends."

No matter how emotionally attached one spider was to another, they never once used the word "Friend." The word is too complicated, a taboo. A complex bond. And yet it is so seemingly innocent.

But the Phantom Troupe know better.

They know that using that word was like taking a drug. They know that if they used that word, that one special, foreign word, it would cause their downfall.

They know it because they've seen it happen

They've watched others sacrifice themselves for something as silly as an unnecessary devotion.

Friendship was a weakness, and the Phantom Troupe as a whole had no weaknesses.

Phinks raises his "hickories" hesitantly to his nose, sniffing them with slight concern. Shalnark chuckles.

"Doubting yourself now?" He asks, grinning even wider than before.

"He no listen to us." says Feitan, who is only slightly amused.

Annoyed, Phinks crushes the nut's shell with his hands and pulls it away from the fruit inside.

As he raises it to his mouth to bite into it, a peculiar odor stops him.

The trio spins to face the rest of the Troupe.

* * *

Feitan is the first of the three to notice the little girl in the doorway wearing a white nightgown and a gasmask. Nobunaga had jumped back and is now reaching for his sword.

The girl steps barefooted onto the steps leading to the main entrance, a cloud of green following her. Her hair is tucked into the mask over her head.

The smell hits Feitan like a wall of bricks. He reacts quickly and jumps away from the bush, where more gas pools out from under its leaves. Shalnark has the same idea.

Its too late, Feitan already inhaled the gas. He covers his mouth with the collar of his coat and holds it there, hoping to curb the dizziness caused by the gas's toxins. His attention returns to Phinks, who is lying in the grass, unconscious.

His eyes return to the head spider, who really does not seem to be at all concerned. The other members are covering their mouths as well, ready to attack.

The dizziness intensifies, causing him to stumble forward. He holds his breath and closes his eyes, fighting against the toxins.

It was strange, he never sensed the little girl's presence when he knows he should have. In fact, he could no longer sense any of his comrade's presences. He assumes that they went into hiding.

Suddenly, he is grabbed.

His eyes open to see nothing but green fog. His attacker is behind him, pulling him upwards.

The attacker isn't very strong, but their grip is firm. He couldn't shake them off without using his hands, so he spins to face them

or rather, her.

She is a petite, young woman who is also wearing a gas mask.

He didn't take the time to pay attention to details until he grabs her by the wrist with one hand and continues to hold his nose with the other.

He is struggling to hold his breath now as he yanks back on her wrist with full force, attempting to break it.

He expected her to resist and pull backwards but instead she went along with his motion, allowing herself to fall onto him.

The dizziness and the impact causes him to fall, allowing the masked girl to hold him down. It was then that he gets a good look at the girl.

She has short black hair that curls at the tips, which just barely reached her shoulders. She wears what appears to be a gothic- lolita style dress that frilled at the hem and at the ends of its short sleeves. On the dress has large silver buttons and large pockets, so it was safe for him to assume that she was hiding something.

As he realized the nen flowing through her right arm, he begins to slowly lose consciousness.

He mentally kicks himself for not being able to fend off such a weak opponent. But, she was at an advantage with the help of the gas.

Using the nen to strengthen her hand, she tried to pry Feitan's hand away from his mouth while he uses the same technique to push her away.

She stumbles backwards while he struggles against the combination of toxins, dizziness and lack of oxygen.

He realizes that at this point, if he does not act quickly, he'll end up passing out from either one of those factors. But he cannot stand, as he'll just lose his balance and fall again.

He lets go, allowing darkness to cloud his vision.

Before he loses himself completely, he hears her say in a quiet, muffled voice:

"Sleep well now."

* * *

**So, I tried my best to make that exciting for you guys (and myself) and im a bit proud of it. Reviews are always greatly appreciated! :3 Thank you!**


	4. Chapter 4

**TO Nyu: Thank you! I literally just got your review when I finished this haha, so this is for you!**

**TO SilverSapphire34523: ****You were my first supporter and you are very kind to me so this is for you as well!**

**Hi guys, I had some stuff going on yesterday and couldn't update. From now on I'll be updating every few days so I can have enough time to write longer chapters. So, I have nothing much more interesting to say so here's chapter four.**

* * *

Chapter Four

_Waiting_

_Patience_

_That is the cost of vengeance._

_Pain_

_Innocence_

_That is the cost of strength._

Kurapika sighs.

He stands outside of a boutique in a large mall near the heart of YorkNew City, holding several shopping bags. Two more bags sit at his side.

Neon and Melody are taking quite a long time inside the shop and he hopes they take much longer.

He needs to buy some time.

Kurapika looks left to right anxiously, hoping they arrive before Neon decides to leave the shopping center. When she decides its time to leave, he knows its final and that there would be nothing he could ever say to change her mind.

The 16 year old former psychic proved to be quite the hassle, as he assumes most spoiled, teenage rich girls are.

But Neon isn't rich anymore.

To be more specific, her father wasn't rich anymore.

After Kurapika had bid his 3 billion Jenny on the scarlet eyes at the Southernpiece Auction, Light Nostrade was fighting debt for a good year.

In return for Mr. Nostrade's kindness, Kurapika offered to protect his daughter full time with no pay. Melody did the same.

Kurapika is thankful to have a partner like Melody. She is kind and dependable, she knew how to keep him in check as well. She even paused her hunt for the Sonata of Darkness to support him, and for that, he is thankful.

The two women come walking out of the store with (to his surprise) no bags in their arms. Neon seems to be throwing one of her legendary temper tantrums.

"I can't believe that woman refused to ring us up! Doesn't she know who my father is?!"

"Yes Miss Neon, but your father only has so much money after-"

"You're right.. I'm sorry Miss Melody." Neon sighs as she approaches Kurapika. "If only credit cards had an unlimited supply of money..." Melody laughs.

"I'm sure that's not how it works, Miss Nostrade."

"Then how does it work?"

"Well, your father must first make the money himself by working. Then he must deposit that money..."

Kurapika stops listening.

He hadn't had a good night of sleep since he took down his third spider a few months back.

He was a weird one, bandages covered his body like a mummy, and before fighting, he removed them to reveal hundreds of large and small holes throughout his body.

The strange spider was strong and agile, and nearly decapitated Kurapika with a conjured spear. Thanks to his Chain Jail, Kurapika won the battle with only a few broken ribs, which still hurt like a bitch.

"Kurapika!"

He told himself he would never tell anybody how her encountered the spider.

"Hey Kurapika!"

But he couldn't continue his hunt alone anymore.

"Oi, are you listening?!"

So he contacted someone he could trust.

"Kurapika, those kids are here."

Three someones.

"Hey, is he sick or something?"

"He's been like this for awhile."

Kurapika blinks.

Gon, Killua and Leorio stand directly in front of him next to Melody and Neon, who seem quite confused.

"Guys..."

Immediately after Kurapika's recognition, Gon flings himself onto Kurapika, embracing him tightly.

"Kurapika! You look so tall now!" Says Leorio, joining in on the hug.

"What's going on here...?"

"I'm not hugging anyone..." says Killua while sweatdropping.

"What are they doing here?"

"How long has it been since all four of us were together?" Asks Leorio, letting go.

"Around a year or so, I believe." Kurapika answers.

"HEY KURAPIKA! FEEL LIKE TELLING US LADIES WHAT'S GOING ON?"

The four boys swear they went deaf for a moment.

"A-Ah, yes Miss Neon." Says Kurapika, holding his ears and smiling sheepishly. "I asked them to come, I hoped you would allow them to stay with us for awhile."

"Oh! In that case, why didn't you say so?! It'll be like a really long sleep-over~!"

Kurapika's smile grows into a grin.

He couldn't control his joy whenever he met with them. Their bond is stronger than any other. He truly believes that their friendship is invincible after they had helped him during the Southernpiece Auction. Together, they were invincible.

While leaving the Center, Gon explains to Kurapika his adventures that he shared with Killua during the time the group was away from each other. Kurapika listens attentively from the time they pack all of Neon's things into the back of the car until they reach the Nostrade Estate.

Once Neon was asleep, Kurapika turns to Gon, Killua, Melody and Leorio who are chatting together on the couch in the living room of the Nostrade home.

"Didn't you say that you needed to tell us something important?" Killua asks, leaning up against the arm of the sofa, supporting his head with his hand.

Kurapika's smile vanishes and he nods.

"Yeah, but I was hoping we could relax for awhile first. What have you been doing while we were away, Leorio?"

"Studying mostly. Becoming a doctor is some hard work." He sighs. "I'm taking a vacation now, work can wait."

"I imagine it's very stressful. It must feel nice to get a break."

"You're damn right it is!"

Kurapika hopes it stays like this for awhile, preferably until morning. He doesn't want to tell them just yet.

He needs to know what to say, and how to say it.

* * *

Feitan's eyes jolt open.

He was asleep, but for how long?

He is lying on a black and dark purple floral couch in a large room lit by a chandelier that hangs over his head, shining with black gems. Strangely, he feels fine.

He sits up, only to meet with a pair of icy blue eyes.

Its the girl who ambushed him. He can tell by her clothing.

She is sitting on a couch across from him, drinking from a teacup. She freezes.

"Oh, he's awake."

She has a noticeable accent. Was it Irish? French? German? He doesn't care.

All he cares about is the burst of blood lust he felt while looking into her eyes.

He wants to kill her in the worst way possible.

"Is he?"

He doesn't care for a second who the second voice belongs to. He doesn't hesitate. He lunges at her at top speed, grabbing her by her pale neck and holding her down . He focuses all his energy into his hand, ready to slash away.

He wants to make her scream for humiliating him.

She really doesn't react at all. In fact, she seems quite bored. One hand is still holding the teacup.

Annoyed, Feitan grabs her free hand, certain he would make her react by squeezing it until he heard a crack. Her eyes narrow, but her bored expression remains.

"Fei, cut it out. She's our ally."

He looks to his right, grip still holding the girl down. He sees Phinks leaning up against the dark grey wall near a closed wooden door.

He really wants to kill her.

But he knows he cant. It would be against The Boss's orders.

"Tch."

He climbs off of her, obviously aggravated.

"She ambushed us..." He says, still eyeing her as he moves quickly to Phink's side.

"You will see that it was an honest mistake." She says while standing from her spot on the couch. "We did not know who you were until Argo came outside to speak with your leader. It was not a planned ambush against you."

She speaks quietly and with surprising politeness that he didn't expect after he broke one of her fingers. Despite her accent, her words are very clear, almost as if she was trying too hard to pronounce everything correctly.

"Tadao should be done with dinner soon. Until then, I was told to show you to your rooms. Follow."

And on that note, she sets the teacup down on an end table beside the couch Feitan was laying on just moments before and walks to their side, opening the door.

Reluctantly, they follow after her into the dim hallway.

* * *

**Alright so there you have it! Thank you for reading, friend!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey there, so sorry for the wait. Homework has been kicking my butt lately, so I didn't get to make this chapter as long as I wanted it to be. But here's what I got:**

**WARNING****: In this chapter, there will be mention of an artist by the name of Trevor Brown (Which Feitan is known to be fond of). I STRONGLY suggest you do not google his work if you are offended by or are triggered by any of the following: BDSM, violence, gore or misogynistic images.**

* * *

Chapter Five

The two spiders continue to follow the girl down a long corridor.

The dim light produced by the candles that hung on the walls perfectly illuminated the dark red carpet that continues up the stairs at the end of the hall, where she seems to be heading. The walls are an olive green with wooden panels evenly distributed between doors which seemed to support the walls, as they extended from the floor and past the gold boarder and up to the arched ceiling.

Feitan is still glaring daggers at the back of her head as she leads them to the stairs. She pauses and turns to the right where a candelabrum sits on a short circular table. She removes one of the lit candlesticks and takes it up the stairs while they follow.

It gets darker and darker as they go up.

Feitan thinks that the darkness serves as the perfect opportunity to take her out then and there.

Too bad he couldn't.

Phinks feels that the silence mixed with the deadly atmosphere Feitan was creating was just too awkward, so he speaks.

"So, why was there electricity in the room you kept us in, but not out here?"

Once they reach the new corridor, she begins lighting the candles on the walls.

"There is a machine in the basement that gives us electricity." She pauses. "The electricity it gives us is not very good. And we do not know why it is not connected to any of the hallways"

She pauses again. Phinks thinks that he may have asked a question that was too difficult to answer, as her replies are choppy. Feitan isn't interested in what she is saying at all.

"If the power stops working..."

Another pause.

"It can be easily replaced by the candles in the hallways."

Phinks regrets asking that question.

As she reaches the end of the corridor, she turns to face them.

"Choose any room to your left."

That is the last thing she says before she leaves the two alone, bringing the candlestick with her.

Phinks looks at Feitan, who shrugs.

* * *

Lucius enters the kitchen where Tadao is working over the stove.

She knows him as the tallest and second physically strongest of the Shadowmen. But none of those factors have to do with his specialty.

He is dark skinned and skinny with puffy brown hair. He wears a white, button up dress shirt and black cargo pants. He never wears his sneakers in the house, but he always has them with him. It was a strange habit of his, but she never questioned it.

Despite their different personalities, they get along just fine. She is very fond of Tadao, even if she would never admit it.

"Hey baby-girl."

That was just one of the many nicknames that he gave her. Almost all of them made fun of her height or her sweet tooth, which only slightly annoys her. But there was one that didn't bother her at all.

"What brings you in here, Lu?"

"Do you require assistance?" she asks as she walks over to his side.

"Well, actually... now that you mention it..." He turns away from the stove and walks past her to a cabinet that is probably too tall for her to reach without climbing something. From the cabinet, he takes out thirteen white plates and turns back to her. "Could you set the table? It would save me some time."

She nods, grabbing the plates from his hands and turning the other direction. She heads straight out the door and into the lounge, where Chrollo and Argo are having a conversation.

Argo is the wisest and most collected person she knows.

he is always calm, always gentle. But he is also dangerous and a skilled Nen user. He's powerful, but never once has that power gone to his head. He is the perfect leader for the Desdemona Shadowmen.

He is tall, but only a little over a quarter the size of Tadao. He is old, but you wouldn't be able to tell that by his appearance as his chiseled features suggest otherwise. He has straight silver hair that is styled with gel and he always wears a suit with a red tie. His eyes are yellow and appear to glow.

She walks past them, not bothering to listen to their conversation until she closes the dining room door. She presses her ear against the door, using her enhanced hearing to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"That must have been Lucius."

"Ah, yes. She doesn't speak often, but she'll warm up to you eventually."

"Understandable. I have a few quiet ones as well."

"Yes but she wont allow herself to make any mistakes, so she mostly avoids speaking."

"She speaks French, am I right?"

"You could tell from her accent?"

"Ahah, yes. I heard her speaking with Rei after the ambush."

"Those two are basically sisters."

"You know... I have another question."

Chrollo pauses

"Is it just those three here at the mansion?"

"Yes but I could call the others if that would be of more help"

"No, no. I think the three of them will be more than enough help. What of your daughter?"

"Ume is likely outside with Rei."

"Training?"

"Oh not today, but she is doing spectacular in..."

Lucius is bored of their conversation and sets the table, laying the white ceramic plates onto the glass surface of the long dining table. After she is done, Tadao walks in with a large serving tray in each hand.

"Dinner time!"

* * *

The dining table is large and long, it is able to fit everybody with even a little bit of room left over. The dining room is well lit with a large chandelier much like the one Feitan remembers from in the room that the girl, who's name he had learned was 'Lucius', had kept him and Phinks in.

Argo and Chrollo sit at both ends of the table, Franklin sits next to Argo, who is explaining the ambush to him.

"Tadao specializes in Chemistry. The sprinklers around the perimeter of the mansion springs upwards when unexpected visitors arrive. He fixed the sprinklers to spray a dense gas into the atmosphere instead of water."

"Really...?" Franklin is very interested. Before he can question further, Machi (who is sitting near the middle of the table) does it for him.

"This alarm system is controllable by will?"

"Yes," Answers Tadao. "There are also gas pipes inside the entrance, that is why you saw gas pouring from inside the mansion as well. Most individuals aren't as smart as y'all and run before the gas fogs up the forest. When that happens, we know that we are up against a weak opponent and a member from the perimeter finds 'em and puts 'em down." He pauses to take a drink of wine. "But today there were too many of you, and you were smart enough to conceal your presences when the gas fogged everything. So, we couldn't take you all out as planned."

"So say you were to have only one person who conceals their presence after the fog, what about them?" Asks Shalnark

"We have three of our members search from each corner of the perimeter and when they're spotted, said member will fight them with the gas as an advantage." Tadao nods at Feitan, who grumbles something in Chinese in response.

"He is a strong opponent, Tadao, don't be doubtful. If the gas was not so noxious, he would have served my death." Says Lucius from behind her book directly across from Feitan.

Feitan could have gone without the recognition from her, but at least she wasn't as cocky as the other Shadowmen. That didn't mean he all of a sudden didn't want to kill her, though.

Feitan hopes that Shalnark would show Tadao up soon. Tadao was acting too smart. And their leader bothered him too, Feitan wouldn't mind shoving his cocky attitude up his ass.

"So then, who was the blonde woman who attacked me from outside the perimeter after the gas was released...?" Asks Kortopi, who sat near Chrollo.

"And who was the child in the doorway?" Asks Machi.

"That would be Rei and Ume. Ume is my daughter." Says Argo, "They're outside right now and should be in soon."

Feitan had already finished eating and he decided that he really didn't want to listen to this conversation any longer. So, he stands and leaves the dining room. Phinks follows shortly after.

"I don't like that Argo guy. He's too full of himself." Says Phinks as they head up the stairs that lead to their rooms.

"I don't like any of them." Feitan replies.

"That girl stood up for you though. Lucius."

Feitan's eye twitches.

"You broke her finger, so she must have something wrong with her too. Is she going to be too much of a problem for you? Or can you contain it?"

"I fine." Feitan says, allowing his grammar mistake to fly off of his tongue.

In all honesty, he's still itching to peel her skin off.

"Well, you can't do anything to her anyways. This is about the Chain User and the Troupe as a whole. They're going to help us. So you better fucking focus, alright?"

"Tch."

Feitan enters his room and slams the door almost hard enough to knock it off of its hinges.

The room is about a third of the size of the dining room, which still gives him a generous amount of space. (Not that he cared much for the generosity)

The wall across from him has a single window that sits in the middle, below it sits a bed covered by a red comforter with a brown silk boarder. There are two white pillows near the headboard which are silk as well.

He cannot remember the last time he had slept in a bed as nice as this one. (Not that he cared much for the condition of it.)

The furniture were antiques, much similar to something The Boss would have the Troupe steal and sell for tons of cash.

There was an empty wooden wardrobe on the left wall and a vanity on the right with a dusty mirror. A nightstand sits to the right of the bed, where another candle holder with a handle sat. The floorboards creak as he walks to the bed and sits.

From his pocket, he pulls out a book.

It wasn't a novel, but an art book.

How he got it was simple

He saw it, he wanted it, he took it. Simple as that.

The images in the book calmed him during moments like this where he could not gain the pleasure he desired from torturing others. No, when that happened, he turned to the works of Trevor Brown, which depicted enough gore and psychological horror to satisfy him.

To him, it was beautiful.

The deformation of the human body was beautiful.

It was art to him.

He opens the book, hoping to distract his thoughts from revenge upon the girl named Lucius.

* * *

**Thank you for reading! Feedback or constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi! I hope you had a very nice day today! here's chapter six.**

* * *

Chapter Six

Feitan awakes to the sound of muffled childish laughter. He was going to close his eyes and fall back asleep, but he changes his mind when he hears that the laughter is coming from right outside his room.

Annoyed, he sits up, allowing the warm light pouring from the window behind him to bathe the back of his head.

He rubs the back of his bare shoulder and yawns. He throws the blanket off of him and onto the hard wooden floor.

Feitan isn't a morning person. He actually usually never even wakes up in the morning. His usual sleeping pattern is simple: Stay up until whenever, sleep until whenever.

But that wasn't happening today.

His bare feet hits the hard cold floor with a loud pat as he slides off of the mattress. He walks to the vanity, where he had thrown his cloak before he had set off to bed.

After he is dressed, he pulls his collar over the lower half of his face and walks out into the hallway, where a little girl sits on the floor playing with a doll.

It seems antique, and it looks like something he'd see from his book.

Upon seeing him, the girl's big bright eyes immediately bubble up with tears.

Feitan is used to this reaction from children.

She runs past him, leaving her doll behind.

He sighs. He sort of wants to keep the doll for himself.

But this kid was going to get him in trouble.

He grabs the doll from the carpet and looks at it with a raised eyebrow. He stuffs it into his pocket and follows after the girl.

* * *

Kalluto hadn't expected the Shadowmen to be so kind, especially after what he had heard Chrollo say about them in the forest.

(x)

_The troupe had been walking for maybe six hours. They had just entered the thick forest leading to their destination._

_Kalluto is behind them all, too fatigued to catch up. His eyes venture to Feitan, who didn't seem tired at all._

_'Damn that superhuman freak!'_

_No matter how much Kalluto tried, he could never be as strong as Feitan. It was an impossible goal._

_The torturer was constantly showing Kalluto up, Kalluto felt like an ant compared to him._

_"Hey Boss."_

_Kalluto listens in._

_Franklin makes his way to Chrollo's side_

_"These guys, the 'Desdemona Shadowmen'..."_

_Chrollo smiles._

_"What of them?"_

_"Are they strong enough to help us defeat the Chain User?"_

_"I am confident in their skills, if that is what you're asking."_

_"I feel like..."_

_"What was that, Machi?"_

_Franklin looks towards Machi, who is on the other side of the dirt path. _

_"I feel as though we could take on the Chain User without any help." She said without looking back at him._

_"Of course we could." Says Franklin, "Boss probably has a certain reason, right?"_

_"In fact, I do." Chrollo says. "I will not risk any more of our limbs. You are what makes up the spider."_

_"Well then, how good are they?"_

_"All together, I'd say they're just like us."_

(x)

But that wasn't true.

The Phantom Troupe is ruthless. They offer their kindness to nobody.

Even Kalluto, a member of the Zoldyck family, didn't belong.

So when Rei and Lucius invited him to eat breakfast with them, he felt as though Chrollo was wrong.

They seem too friendly to be brought down to such a deadly status.

They are in a tea room with a marble floor with walls covered in red drapes. He sits on a greyish purple and black floral loveseat next to Lucius, who is pouring herself coffee.

Lucius is the calmest and the quietest of the Shadowmen, right after their leader. He notices that she doesn't speak unless spoken to or unless it is necessary, so he assumes that she has a small vocabulary. While speaking more with her, He learned that French is her first language.

He is mostly interested in her clothing, though.

Rei is sitting on the loveseat across from them.

She is a tall, older woman with long brunette hair that reaches her hips. Her skin is a light brown with freckles sprinkled on her face and shoulders. She wears black sweatpants and a white V-neck tank top that revealed a little... too much for Kalluto's standards. Around her neck is a chain holding a small bottle filled with red liquid.

He doesn't know much about her except that she could be incredibly blunt, sarcastic and rude.

"So, Kalluto. Lu told me some kid in your group broke her finger, what's his name?" Asks Rei, kicking her legs up onto the short table separating the two loveseats.

"Umm... I'm not sure who you're talking abo-"

"The dark haired kid wearing the dress."

Funny, that description made it sound like it was him.

"It is not a dress." Says Lucius.

"Well whatever a cloak thing with a skull on his collar."

"Oh, that would be Feitan." Kalluto lifts an apple to his mouth and takes a bite. "I'd stay away from him if I were you, it sounds like you made him angry."

"Is that so...?" Lucius questions as she stares into her reflection in her coffee.

"Hah, How tough is he?"

"He's... Well, he's fast and he's a master swordsman. He has this attack where all the wounds in he gains in battle is transmuted into a miniature sun, It's deadly. He's strong."

'he's too strong...' Kalluto thinks to himself as he takes a drink of water from a glass cup then sets it by an empty plate on the table.

"Nice job, Lu." Rei teases. She looks at Lucius with a goofy smile.

"Thank you." Replies Lucius. "I am very good at making enemies out of fearsome people." Kalluto watches a small smile disappear from Lucius's face just as fast as it appeared. Lucius isn't very expressive, but he sort of likes it when she is.

Rei yawns, stretching her arms out upwards.

"It's too bad you cant fight him, I wanna see that sun thing."

"You cant." Says Kalluto. "Well I mean you can, but it would be suicide."

"It's that powerful, huh?"

"It has an amazing range."

Lucius stops listening despite her interest.

She hears something.

Running.

Upstairs? No, it was heading downstairs now.

She stands.

"Lucius, where are you going?"

Rei stands while Lucius walks over to the double doors that parted the hallway from the tea room.

Kalluto is horrendously confused.

* * *

Feitan follows the girl around the mansion.

'Where this brat even going?'

She can use Nen, he can tell. But she is sloppy with it, making her easy to track.

Then why couldn't he sense her presence before the ambush?

He continues down a long hallway with large glass windows to his left. Outside was the courtyard, where vines climbed pillars and fences. Stones lead the way towards the back of the mansion.

While staring out of the windows, he nearly passes the open doors to his right.

* * *

The double doors fly open, a little girl dashes into Lucius's arms. She is in hysterics, sobbing wildly.

Kalluto didn't meet her, but he saw her last night at dinner shortly after Feitan and Phinks had left. Her name is Ume, and she's only a few years younger than him.

"_Ma fille_, what is the matter?" Lucius asks, attempting to calm the girl by petting and holding her head close to her chest.

"Did she hurt herself or something?" Rei pipes, approaching the two. Kalluto joins her.

"I cannot tell." Lucius says, pulling the child away from her chest and kneeling to meet her at eye level. "Be calm now, nothing can hurt you."

Ume wipes the tears from her cheeks and sniffles.

"There was a man." She says, "And he was scary.." She sniffs again, "And he's gonna get me.." The crying continues.

* * *

Feitan enters the room where Kalluto, Lucius and an older blonde woman stand around the little girl, who is a lot calmer now.

But once the little girl sees Feitan, she lets out a high pitched shreik and hides behind Lucius.

"Is this the guy, Lu?"

Lucius doesn't reply.

Feitan thinks it's strange.

How a group of thieves are raising a child.

He thinks its stupid. A stupid, pointless weakness.

"He was chasing me!"

Feitan pulls the doll out from his pocket.

It's true that he wants to keep it for himself to make "art" out of it later, but if that meant getting into trouble with the Boss because he scared his friend's daughter shitless, stalked her afterwards and stole her doll, he'd rather return it.

The girl cowers while Lucius extends her hand to take it from him.

His eyes widen when her fingertips brush against his as she takes the doll.

"Thank you." She says to him, looking at him with tired eyes.

_His_ eyes dart to her finger.

Lucius kneels next to Ume, holding the doll in front of her.

"You like her, yes?"

Ume nods violently.

"Then you must take care of her." She pauses. "You must take care of the things you care for."

The girl nods again, takes the doll and runs past Feitan out of the room.

He cant take his eyes off of Lucius's perfectly healed finger.

A few minutes later, Nobunaga pops his head into the room.

"There's a meeting going on in the lounge. A mandatory meeting."

* * *

The group of bandits sit in groups of six at two different tables. Argo is pouring himself wine at the bar in the back of the room while Chrollo takes lead in the front, going over the events that occurred over the last few months.

"Okay." Rei starts. "So this dude who was on your team was killed by this chain guy who also killed two others on your team. I get that, but how do you know it was him this time?"

"Yes, you never did explain that to us." Adds Shizuku from the other table.

"I didn't, did I?" Chrollo laughs at himself. "Well, to answer your question: I know it was the Chain User who did it because I watched him do it." He drags a chair over to him and sits. "I was there."

The group goes silent, they know it's story time.

"I was with Bonolenov on the day of his death. We had left Meteor City a day earlier." He exhales deeply. "I left him for an hour. There were things we wanted, so we decided to meet back when we were done retrieving them. When I returned to the rendezvous point, I found that he was occupied. He was fighting the Chain User. I hid, listening to his explanation."

_"And I wont stop hunting you! Not until I've avenged my people! I have all the information I need to destroy you!" _

"Are you sure that it wasn't a bluff?" Asks Tadao, crossing his arms.

"It could have very well of been a bluff. In fact, it likely was. From what I understand, it was a coincidence he ran into Bonolenov in the first place."

Lucius lets out a simple 'hmph.' and leans back in her chair (receiving a glare in return from Feitan as well.) She shoots a glance at Rei, who shrugs.

Rei raises her hand.

"Then why do you care if you're so sure that it is really just a bluff? Wouldn't it be a waste of energy to hunt this guy down?"

"Our energy will not be wasted, I already know where he will be." He holds out a piece of paper. "He dropped this."

its an invitation

_Goro Hisaryu_

_requests the honor of your presence, Miss Neon Nostrade_

_to the celebration of _

_his daughter's recent graduation_

_Saturday the 14th of February_

_The Tower rooms, Auselor, YorkNew City._

_Debutante Ball._

* * *

**I hope you liked it! I hope it doesn't seem too rushed. I would love some feedback, it encourages me ^~^**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi there! This chapter didn't come out nearly as long as I wanted it to be, but I at least got some things done. I was doing some fun things over the weekend and really couldn't work on anything. But, here's chapter seven. **

* * *

Chapter Seven

Leorio chose a fast food restaurant to eat lunch at the next day. Kurapika isn't so fond of fatty foods, but if it makes his friend happy then he could deal with it.

Its a small diner with a red black and white color scheme. In spite of its cliche design, it's well known around the world for its burgers and fries.

Oh, and it's Leorio's favorite.

Their waitress sits them at a booth near a window facing the parking lot.

Kurapika is getting nervous.

Would they scold him for attempting to pursue the Troupe again? No, surely after explaining they would understand that it was hardly an attempt at all. He would have to stress the fact that it was a coincidence.

Anxiety settles in.

He is still unsure how to say it, even though he knew exactly what he had to say.

His friends are ordering their food. Kurapika only requests a salad and water.

He cant wait any longer. He has to lay it all out or else he'll burst.

"Kurapika?"

This is the time to do it.

"...He's doing it again."

He planned everything out last night. Everything he has to say, he has a mental list of what was important to mention.

He takes a deep breath and lowers his head.

He waits until there is nobody close enough to hear him, then he says in a low voice:

"I killed another Spider a few months ago."

* * *

Its a cloudy afternoon, the mansion casts a shadow over the courtyard where Shalnark, Phinks and Feitan are sitting on a few fallen pillars near an old, cracked fountain that set in the center of the decrepit, un-kept garden . Shalnark and Phinks are having a conversation while Feitan listens.

Well, truthfully he is only half listening.

"This place is huge." Says Phinks. "The Boss was right when he said that the location wouldn't disappoint us."

"Yeah." Replies Shalnark. "Have you been on the top floor?"

"No, why?"

"I think they're hiding something."

"Why do you think that?"

"I couldn't find a staircase leading to there anywhere." Shalnark explains. "Maybe thats where they hide the things they steal."

"Are you sure you checked everywhere? Including all the bedrooms?"

"I searched almost every room. There was one room that was locked. I couldn't pick the lock without actually damaging it, its impossible. I didn't like the idea of upsetting the Boss by breaking it either."

"Do you know who's room it is?"

"I picked out only two possible people: Argo and that french girl."

Feitan's eye twitches.

"No, the leader's room isn't near the others. His room is at the end of the hallway near the staircase." Says Phinks.

"Ah, I thought that was just a spare room... Strange, it's relatively normal compared to the other ones..."

Shalnark doesn't even want to talk about what he found in Rei's bedroom.

"So, it has to be in the french girl's room." Phinks concludes, looking up at the mansion. "She does seem secretive."

"I'm curious"

"Do you want to take a look?"

"I am interested. If that where their treasure is, I go." Says Feitan.

"Nah, nah. I dont like the idea of getting caught and getting scolded by Machi." Shalnark sighs, then grins. "But I wont tattle if you do it."

* * *

"Oh... So that's what happened." Says Leorio after hearing Kurapika's nervous explanation. He takes a sip from the coffee he ordered.

Kurapika is thankful that they took the news calmer than he had anticipated.

"And... I believe they may be after me" He finishes.

"That wouldn't make sense." Says Leorio. "You said he was alone, what evidence would they have to prove that it was you?"

"Leorio, who else would be hunting and killing the spiders?" Asks Killua, stuffing his face with fries before continuing. "Not the mafia, they left them alone after what happened at the SouthernPiece Auction. Baa-ka." After that, Killua's attention returns to Gon, who's trying to steal his fries.

"I had to leave behind his body as well, I was too injured to bury him." Adds Kurapika. "If they found the body, they could tell that I killed him judging by the wounds."

Leorio sweatdrops.

"Oh."

"What's your plan then, Kurapika?" Asks Gon, who just finished eating.

Kurapika ponders. What was his plan? He knew that the Spiders knew that he was protecting Neon Nostrade. All they really had to do to track him down was track Neon down, and that was relatively easy considering the girl's fame as Light Nostrade's daughter and as an ex psychic.

"I suppose the only thing I can do is wait." He replies. "I wont know when they'll attack. It's dangerous and stressful... and that's why I need you guys. I don't want to put you in danger, but I know that I cant do it alone." He hangs his head, staring at his lap. He clutches his pants. "I really cant do this alone. I don't want to be alone for this one."

"You wont ever be alone." Says Gon, smiling a ray of sunshine at him. "We'll fight with you."

"Hell yeah! We're with you, Kurapika!" Exclaims Killua, chanting along with Gon.

"You wont be fighting with me, Killua."

"Eeeeh?!"

"What do you mean?" Asks Gon. "Killua can't fight with us?"

"Leorio wont either."

"What! Why the hell not?!" Leorio jumps up and puffs his cheeks out angrily. A woman in a booth in front of them is staring at them with wide eyes. Slowly, he sits down and calms himself.

Kurapika pauses and sips at his water. He is happy they responded so negatively. They really wanted to _help_ him, to _support_ him. He smiles and lets out a small laugh.

'I really do have the best friends in the world'

"When it comes down to it, Gon will fight with me." He places the empty glass cup back on the table and finally begins eating the salad he ordered almost an hour ago.

Killua glances at Leorio, who shares the same angered, confused expression. Kurapika looks back up at them.

"You two will have a more important job."

* * *

Feitan and Phinks had been trying to pick the lock to Lucius's bedroom for an hour now, but the damn thing is stubborn, and so are they.

Phinks guesses that it is locked from the inside as well, with multiple different locks. They are bandits for Christ's sake! Phinks honestly does not understand. How the hell does this girl get into her own room?! She definitely isn't inside there, as he had seen her in the lounge just before they came upstairs. Annoyed, he lets out a groan.

"What. the. FUCK."

Meanwhile, Feitan is about ready to blow the door down. All he wants is to see their merchandise, and maybe the secret behind the girl's healing ability. There is nothing Feitan hates more than waiting for something he wants. Hell, he never really did wait. He isn't patient.

He has no reason to wait for something that he's strong enough to take. He hates rules and restrictions, but he believes that going against these restrictions meant insulting the Troupe, and that's the last thing he wants.

Feitan pushes the crouching Phinks over with his knee and puts his eye to the keyhole. Phinks grumbles as Feitan takes the rusty pin from his hand. He picks at the inside and attempts to hold the internal part of the lock down. He attempts a few times more, and begins to get frustrated. He shakes the handle angrily and tries again.

"Yo, I wouldn't do that if I were you."

The two bandits spin around, alerted by the female voice.

Rei stands behind them with her hands on her hips. She is wearing a smug smirk across her face.

Feitan preps his Nen. He reminds himself that it isn't to fight, but to threaten. Phinks does the same and stands.

She laughs.

"Woah, scary." She says sarcastically. "Don't worry about it, I wont go and tell on you. But I think you should hear me out when I say that if you value your tongues, your ability to hear, vocal chords, ears and maybe even your life... then I'd step away from that door, dude."

"Is that a threat?" Asks Phinks, still not lowering his Nen.

"Not really. Actually, its more of a warning." She rests her back against the wall. "Lucius isn't nice to people who invade her privacy. Trust me, I had to deal with the aftermath of it all the last time it happened. It wasn't pretty and honestly I dont want to do it again, whether it be your remains or hers."

"We allies." Says Feitan. "She no hurt us."

"Trust me, once you figure out how to open that door, the whole '_allies_' thing is down the shitter."

"Our leader would never accept that, and neither would yours."

Rei throws her hands up in the air.

"Your leader might not, but ours wont give a shit."

"Why wouldn't he, this place is his to command." Says Phinks. "He should care if one of you step out of line."

"That girl too weak to kill us." Adds Feitan.

"Yeah, she may be weaker physically and maybe even Nen wise, but she always comes out alright. Besides, I'm not the one here judging from what I've already seen." She says defensively. "I'm just saying you should probably think twice before underestimating her. Once you see what she can do, you may change your mind."

Feitan scoffs.

She turns to leave, but adds another thing. "Also, the mansion rules aren't Argo's to set in the first place." She turns again, but Phinks grabs her by the arm and stops her.

"What do you mean '_isn't his to set_'?"

"I mean the mansion doesn't belong to him, he didn't make the rules." She pulls away from him and walks off.

Feitan looks at Phinks, who is now looking at the door.

"I wonder who owns the mansion then." He says as he turns away from the door and walks down the hall towards the stairs.

Feitan frowns under his collar and follows him. It looks like he wont learn about Lucius's healing ability today.

He really hates waiting.

* * *

**:O **

**Thank you for reading! I love reading nice reviews, especially when they include feedback or constructive criticism! **

**Also thank you to those of you who have reviewed (Thaishi, CarzyCickHAHA ... 3, SilverSapphire34523) you kept me on my toes**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello hello! So this chapter I did something a lot funner just because I really didn't have any idea how to progress my story for awhile, and it really helped :D so... yeah. **

* * *

Chapter eight

"Excuse me, what?" Asks Phinks, dumbfounded.

"Go to the gym with us."

Feitan is mostly annoyed by this. Not once has someone outside of the Troupe ever confronted him after he unleashed his aura in front of them. His Nen was the most fearsome of the Phantom Troupe, but the two girls standing in front of him doesn't seem too threatened by him whatsoever. He had done it to the both of them. And now, they were inviting him to go to the gym with them?

"No." He says bluntly.

Besides, he doesn't have any need to train. If the Desdemona Shadowmen are really as good as Chrollo says, why did they have a reason to train?

He doesn't want to ask this. He doesn't ask petty questions. Luckily, Phinks does it for him.

"Why do you need to go to the gym?"

Lucius drops the duffel bag in her hands lightly onto the floor before replying.

"Rei likes to exercise. I do sports."

"Betcha' Lu can whoop your ass in a game of tennis." Rei taunts.

Feitan raises an eyebrow.

Lucius flashes a small smile while Phinks sends a smug look to Feitan.

"How about instead of a bet, we set a deal?" Asks Phinks, shifting his weight.

Feitan smirks. He knows exactly what Phinks is doing.

Rei gives him a dark look, she also sees where this conversation is heading.

Feitan enjoys her defeated expression and decides to taunt her more by answering Lucius's question.

"I challenge you to game. If I win, you tell me where your stolen treasure is."

Rei's expression remains. He expects a reaction from Lucius, but instead he receives her usual, stoic countenance. It is like a mask that barely changes, and he hopes he'll be able to break it.

"Will you allow us to set our own condition"? Lucius asks. Phinks nods. She looks to Rei for a response. Rei purses her lips, her displeasure fueling Feitan's amusement.

"We'll go the cliche route." Rei finally responds. "If she wins, you two will be our slaves."

Phinks scoffs.

Feitan lets out a small, happy chuckle.

There is no possible way that such a skilled and strong swordsman like him could lose to such a weak little girl in a game as simple as tennis. Even if Nen isn't allowed, his strength versus hers was a great advantage.

Lucius extends her hand for Feitan to shake.

That damn healed finger.

He doesn't take it. He wont allow her to mock him.

Awkwardly, she lowers her arm.

"Well." Says Rei, sighing. "Are you going to be wearing... um.." She looks Feitan up and down. "That? to the gym, I mean?"

Feitan furrows his brow. why wouldn't his clothing be fine? Is there certain attire meant to be worn at fitness centers? He doesn't know, he has never been to a gym before. He has never needed to.

"He'll be fine." Answers Phinks. "The real question is if she can keep up with Feitan in that dress."

"She can kick anyone's ass in a dress!"

"Erm... I will be changing clothing at the gym" Lucius lifts the duffel bag. "The gym clothing is in he-"

"Oh yeah?" Asks Phinks, stepping closer to Rei. "Feitan could kick her ass in a ball gown!"

Feitan and Lucius stand there watching Phinks and Rei argue until they are inches awat from each others faces.

And they continue this argument for fifteen minutes.

And outside.

And to a car parked behind a few trees.

"wait, you have a car?"

"Of-fuckin-course dude."

* * *

The fitness center is a reasonable size. Just near the entrance is a counter shaped like a half circle. Behind this counter is a woman, who Rei and Lucius approaches.

"Membership cards please." Says the woman dully.

The two girls slide their cards onto the counter. After verifying them, the woman hands them back.

"Oh and uh, these two are with us." Says Rei, motioning to the two spiders who are still at the entrance, taking in their surroundings. "Is that okay?"

The woman mutters a 'whatever' while handing two keys to the girls.

"You two kiddies behave yourselves while we're changing."

The two girls head to their right to the women's locker room, leaving the spiders in the lobby; not knowing what to do.

"Can I help you two?" Asks the woman behind the counter.

"Uh, yeah." Replies Phinks. "Where is the tennis court?"

The woman points to the left and says: "Racket ball and tennis gymnasium is behind that glass door."

The two spiders follow her directions and open the glass door, walking into a large, brightly lit room with white walls. The floor is a tan orange with markings that sections off each court, which have nets that sit a few feet above the ground. Each step the spiders take echos throughout the room. They head to the court on the far right and wait.

Five minutes later, the girls arrive wearing different clothing. Rei is wearing grey sweatpants and a black shirt and bright blue sneakers. Lucius is wearing black spandex shorts and a loose, dark red tank top. She wears black slip on tennis-shoes and white frilly socks. She is still carrying the duffel bag.

They approach them.

"You ready?" Asks Rei to Feitan, who stuffs his hands in his pockets and nods his chin upwards in response. Lucius drops the duffel bag and un-zips it, she reaches in and pulls out two rackets and holds one out to Feitan.

Is she trying to mock him?

He'd break that finger again if he could. He mentally promises himself that he'll humiliate her in this game.

Lucius notices his hesitation and pushes the racket into his hand. He snatches it, annoyed. She isn't sure why he is so angry until she sees him staring at the finger he broke just a day ago. She takes her place on the other side of the net. Rei throws her a tennis ball from the side.

'_Maybe it will be fun to agitate him more..._'

"Do you know of the rules?" She asks, bounding the ball in her hand, making sure he sees her balancing the ball on her finger. Usually she does not resort to such childish actions, but she has to admit that his slightly angered expression amuses her.

He knows that now she actually_ IS_ trying to mock him.

"The server may serve both underhand and overhand." She pauses. "The server may not use Nen. However, after the ball is served, any technique is allowed."

He likes the sound of that.

"In order to score a point, you must hit the ball over the net and allow it to bounce once. If I do not hit the ball after the first bounce or hit the ball before, one point will be given to you." Another pause. "But if you hit the ball and it hits me, a single point will be taken away from you. The same goes for me. The first to ten points will win the game." She looks him in the eyes. "Understand?"

He nods.

She tosses the ball up in the air above her head and she smacks it with the racket. it soars over the net. Almost instantly after it bounces once, he flashes out of her sight.

Before she knows it, the ball is hurdling at her. She takes a step back, allowing it to bounce. But after the bounce, she doesn't hit it at all. She just stands, allowing it to fly past her.

Phinks laughs while Rei retrieves the ball.

"What the matter, girl?" Asks Feitan. "You afraid now?"

True, he is fast and very strong and maybe a million times stronger than her, but she isn't afraid of him. She doesn't reply, but she does continue to sort of analyze him.

Rei throws Feitan the ball.

'Too easy.' he thinks, tossing th ball up. At full force, he whacks the ball.

This time, she reacts quickly after the ball bounces.

Using Gyo, Feitan sees her cover her racket in a coat of her Nen while she swings up, sending it high above her. She jumps now and grabs her racket with both hands and hits it to Feitan's side of the court. Strangely, after the bounce, it flies to the left wildly. Feitan rapid steps are fast enough to catch up with it. He swings it back at her.

"Wait..." Says Phinks, squinting hard. "What did she _do_ to that ball?" He notices that the ball appears to be heavier now.

"Its vibrating." Rei replies. "Well, she's controlling the force with vibrations around it, basically."

"She's an transmuter?" What kind of transmutation is that?"

"She changes her aura into sound vibrations." She says. "Sound waves. She can intensify the vibrations at will. Its not so tricky, there's constantly noise around here. The echos from the room make it easy for her. Right now, I'd say that she's probably using the sound of the ball hitting the floor."

Phinks squints more. Lucius and Feitan are both blurs in the court. the ball only becomes visible once the ball bounces, which gives him enough time to see the ball clearly. Neither of the two allowed the other to score a single point after Feitan's first score.

* * *

Feitan and Lucius have been at it for twenty minutes without a single point scored.

Lucius is getting tired. Sweat is causing her clothes to stick to her body, restricting her movement. She needs a cool-down period.

She stops moving.

The ball hits her side.

Feitan would have expected the ball to drill right into her skin if she wasn't such a good Nen user.

"She did that on purpose!" Exclaims Phinks. "That should be our point!"

"Did she say anything like that is against the rules?" Asks Rei, smirking deviously.

Phinks is infuriated.

"No! She did that on purpose!"

Feitan glares at Lucius, who is now panting and wiping sweat from her face.

As much as Feitan hates the trick that she pulled, he has to give her a little credit. It takes a lot to keep up with him, and she is doing a pretty good job. Better than most people.

He is interested in what this girl can handle.

While Phinks is arguing with Rei, Lucius serves the ball. This time its underhand, and it forms a perfect, slow arch.

He strikes the ball as if he were striking the ball with his sword. He notices how the ball's force increases after she smacks the ball back at him. He hits it again, but this time he forces it downwards, causing it to bounce higher than she can reach.

He just won his lost point back.

She throws him the ball to serve.

He does it overhand again.

And the limbo of continued hits goes on.

They are neck-in-neck for five more minutes until Lucius pulls a different stunt.

She jumps and pounds on the ball. It seems to stick there for a second, then she sends it down onto his side of the court. Using the same technique he did to score a point.

Feitan begins to think that he may have to start taking it more seriously. Before Lucius serves, he removes his cloak. Underneath, his chest is bare and he wears black baggy pants.

Lucius takes a minute to realize how muscular the short man is.

She was definitely being too cocky.

She gives Rei and Phinks a blank stare before turning back to Feitan to serve.

* * *

An hour later, the score is 8-8. Feitan has finally worn Lucius out. He himself has even started sweating. He only half understands her Nen ability, but that's the least of his concerns.

Although the panting and worn out expression that masked her usual calm one delights him to the core, he does admit to himself that she is a worthy opponent.

He still wants to see her disappointment when she loses.

Lucius is about to serve the ball, but suddenly she is struck by something. It swipes her across the cheek, causing her to drop the ball.

Lucius kneels, looking for the source of the ball that just hit her.

"Sorry!"

Feitan hadn't noticed that during their game, another one had started just a few courts over from them.

A man approaches her.

"Are you alright?"

She stands and turns to him, smiling.

Feitan cannot hear what she says, but he does see the disturbed look on the man's face when she says it.

Strange.

"Oh no." Rei mutters under her breath.

"What?"

"We're leaving soon."

When Feitan tries to hit the ball after her serve, it sticks to his racket, then drops to the ground. When he looks up, Lucius is looking at him. She drops her racket.

"I am done." She says, wiping more sweat from her face. "You win."

* * *

After the girls change back into their clothes, Lucius seems a bit calmer. Feitan thinks that her sudden shift in attitude was strange, he doesn't even know what it was. Or what it meant. He really doesn't care.

Before stepping out of the fitness center, she approaches him.

"I apologize." She says. "I do not play fair. I do not like losing either."

He doesn't know what to say.

When was the last time someone apologized to him?

Is she just trying to get on his good side?

He was about to ignore her and step out into the dark parking lot until she says:

"Would you like to know how I healed myself?"

"You tell me now?"

This is the first time he ever spoke to her with genuine interest.

"At the mansion." She says. "Come to my room, knock twice, come late and come alone."

Feitan isn't one to take orders from anyone but Chrollo.

But curiosity gets the better of him.

* * *

**Please tell me what you thought about it, I worked hard and it means a lot c: I appreciate your support. Thank you for reading, friend. **


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Feitan isn't quite sure exactly what time "late" Is, so he arrives outside her door around 10:30pm. Lucius never gave him specifics. In fact, she didn't even look at him after they returned home from their heated tennis tournament... if he could call that a tournament.

He also isn't sure that he can call himself victor of said tournament. Usually when he wins a game, it's by either pure domination or death of his opponent. She gave up after scoring a point against him.

Why?

'Nevermind this.' He thinks to himself as he raises his fist to knock. Besides, a victory was a victory.

'she no matter anyway.'

He is about to knock, but he hesitates.

Why is he doing this again?

Answers. Yes. Answers. He had convinced himself that his purpose of coming to Lucius wasn't for his own curiosity, but for answers that will benefit him later. And that is that.

But why is he going about it so mannerly?

Feitan scowls.

He jiggles the doorknob violently in attempt to force the door open. He wasn't about to just casually ask about all the questions floating around in his head right now.

Hell no!

He's a thief and an interrogator for Christ sake! A bandit! A criminal with class A bounties! He sees what he wants and he takes it! And in this case, he wants answers.

He decides that it would be cowardly to just simply ask them of her, so he decides that he will take them from her.

The lock makes a muffled click before it swings open just a crack.

He backs up a few steps.

Lucius peeks only her head out from behind the door, allowing a sliver of light to pour into the dark hallway. She blinks at him in confusion.

"Are you aware of how much noise you are making?" She scolds him. "You are lucky you did not wake Ume."

He doesn't reply. He honestly doesn't know what to do or say, so when she swings the door all the way open and walks back into her room, he reluctantly follows.

Her room is just a bit bigger than the room he was given. The only differences between her room and his was the amount of furniture and the colors. He sees no staircase leading to the top floor, but he does see a dark blue curtain to the right that covers an entrance to another room.

He mentally takes note of the curtain before making further observations.

The furniture in her room is slightly different than the ones around the house. They are antiques as well, but they seem much older.

There are two tall, slender bookshelves on either side of her bed, which sits at the end of the room. Her bed is much bigger than his, but it looks untouched as if nobody has slept in it since it was put there. The bedspread is purple with a black design which is too faded to describe.

There is a shelf on the wall above her bed that carries a dusty, black leather box surrounded by dolls that look identical to the one the little girl was carrying.

He takes note of the box as well.

There is also a vanity in the room with nothing on it except a hairbrush and an empty picture frame.

She leads him to the bottom left hand corner of the room where there is a large circular table with two chairs.

He doesn't sit, but she does.

She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a long needle. She places it carefully on the table.

"This is a needle which has been soaked in a special liquid healing agent." She says, sliding it closer to him. "Tadao and Rei made it." She pauses and ponders before continuing. "It is able to heal all wounds ranging from small cuts to small fractures."

He picks it up, careful not to prick himself. He looks at it skeptically, bringing it closer to his eyes.

Who knows? She could be tricking him. He cant trust her. For all he knows, she could have coated it in some type of poison or something instead.

His eyes flash to her.

"Show me." He orders tonelessly. He now sits across from her and places the needle on the table and pushes it towards her with his finger.

"Ah, of course." She says.

His forehead wrinkles as she digs into her pockets once more, pulling out a knife. He knew she was hiding something in those large pockets of hers.

But what bewilders him the most is that even after being hurt by him, threatened by him and ordered around by him, she still looks at him with the same passive eyes. Not any of that even phased her.

What will it take to break this girl?

She holds the knife to her fingertip and slices it vertically. She lifts her hand up, allowing the blood from the cut to trickle down to her wrist. Then, she takes the needle and gently pokes at the skin around the small cut.

"It does not begin its effect until fifteen minutes after it has been used." She explains as she throws the needle into a small garbage bin under the table. "By the time I wake in the morning, there will be not even be a scar."

He stands and demands in his darkest tone: "You show me the rest. Now."

* * *

Phinks has been looking for Feitan for at least a half hour now. He can't find him anywhere around the mansion, and he sure as hell doesn't feel like going outside when it's so cold. He doesn't think Feitan would either.

Is he hiding from him?

No, no. That's just stupid.

Hiding from someone else, maybe?

Shit, he doesn't care. He just wants to see where their damn treasure is, and he knows that he'll get an earful from Feitan if he doesn't bring him with.

So, he just has to keep looking.

"Yo, Phinks."

He turns to meet Shalnark, who is approaching him from the end of the hallway.

"Hey." Phinks replies. "Have you seen Feitan?"

Shalnark shakes his head.

"Not since you guys got home."

Phinks sighs

"well," He starts. "We know where their stolen stuff is." He walks with Shalnark down the hallway. "Well, not yet. But we will."

"Really? How do you know that?"

"We set a deal with Rei and the French kid. They lost and promised they'd show us."

"Oh really?" Muses Shalnark, laughing "They gave up that information just like that?"

"Maybe its not that important to them."

"Or maybe they trust us that much."

Phinks laughs.

"That would a stupid mistake. They seem to make a lot of those."

The two start up the stairs.

"Maybe they really are as strong as Boss says." Replies Shalnark.

"Well, from what I saw earlier today, the short French girl follows up close behind Feitan, but I couldn't tell you about the others. We haven't encountered the rest of their group either, So this could just be a weak batch."

"Speaking of 'earlier today,' where did you guys head off to?" Asks Shalnark as they arrive at the top of the stairs.

"Oh right." Says Phinks. "I didn't tell you exactly where we went."

Phinks explains his experience at the gym to Shalnark as they approach his bedroom door.

"Sound waves, huh? Thats quite the interesting transmutation..." Shalnark laughs. "I wonder what else she is capable of."

"I wonder what the others can do..."

Phinks is about to enter his room , but instead he turns back to Shalnark.

"Do you hear talking?"

Shalnark stops and listens

Yes, he does.

Its muffled and quiet, but with the silence the dim hallway has to offer, it is not so hard to hear it.

And it is coming from behind Lucius's door.

* * *

Feitan is stuck pondering.

He cannot figure out if he thinks this woman is incredibly stupid or actually intelligent.

On one hand, she could just be allowing him to order her around to avoid being hurt by him, which he prefers. But then again, she was the one who invited him here.

Or on the other hand, she could be just stupid. She could be attempting to get on his good side, which in Feitan's mind, never existed in the first place.

With that in thought, he almost doesn't want to take the small thin capsule full of needles that she is handing him now.

"I thought you would like some after my teasing." She says. "I have plenty, so if you happen to want more." She pauses. "You are more than welcome to ask for more."

He snatches it from her. He is tempted to break that damn finger again.

He glares at her as he turns to leave, but before he can she says another thing.

"I believe I told you to come alone."

She says this in a different tone, which is colder and darker than her usual calm, concentrated one.

He turns back to her just to see that her calm, bored expression hasn't changed.

"I no bring anybody with me" He says, preparing himself for a possible fight. "Stupid woman."

He is not sure what it is, but something about her voice makes him feel...

Insulted?

Threatened?

He doesn't know. All he does know is that it gives him a mixture of uncomfortable emotions that he cannot quite recognize.

He doesn't like it.

* * *

Lucius stifles a laugh.

So, it really isn't impossible to trigger his emotions.

This is really what interests her the most about him.

Usually it was an easy thing to do.

To mess with people's emotions.

But with him, it actually takes effort. And when it does work, the only emotion she can trigger is anger.

And that fascinates her.

The ability to manipulate emotions came with the musical talent that she was assigned with at birth. All she has to do is bend a few vibrations to trigger a certain emotion. But with him, it doesn't quite work the same.

"It is obvious that your companions are very good at hiding themselves." She says. "Maybe you should inform them that in order to hide from me, they must do more than just hide their presences." With her finger now dripping blood, she walks past him and opens the door, causing Phinks and Shalnark to fall forwards onto the floor. She turns back to him. "There is no way to hide from someone like me. That is how I was able to find you in the fog."

Her tone has returned to normal.

* * *

Shalnark and Phinks are laughing hysterically as they follow an angry Feitan down the hallway.

"Look at him! He's so pissed!"

"Feitan was in a girl's room! Feitan has a girlfriend!" Shalnark teases while snickering.

"Hey Fei, is it hard to be nice once in awhile?"

Feitan grumbles as he walks into his bedroom and slams the door behind him.

What the hell was that?

If only he could just get rid of her, then he wouldn't be so angry.

She must think she's so clever.

_"Feh"_

If he could, he would beat that stupid cocky attitude right out of her. If he could. God, how infuriating it is for an interrogator. No, a _torturer _to have to allow himself to be constantly insulted by a woman who is even shorter than he is!

Really, it's torture.

He slumps onto his bed with his book in hand.

He can still hear Phinks and Shalnark laughing outside his bedroom door. Is it really that amusing?

He rolls onto his back and stares into the pitch black darkness that envelops his room.

He still wonders why she is so passive. Feitan has the ability to make a grown man whimper with just a glare, but he could get nothing out of her but a change in the tone of her voice.

And what was up with that anyway? The strange feeling he received after she spoke, what was that? It makes him feel nauseous thinking about it, and this is a torturer we're talking about.

Oh well.

There really is nothing that a little Trevor Brown can't fix.

* * *

**uh oooh, Feitan's got the grumpies. **

**What did you think? Oh and, I was also wondering if you guys think I should lengthen my chapters a bit more? I intend for this fic to be quite long, so I am not sure if I should make them longer or if the size of them is fine or... well, just let me know if you have any idea! Thank you for reading. Constructive criticism and any feedback is strongly appreciated!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys! Sorry it took long for me to update, I was too busy to write yesterday because I went to my friend's Valentine's day party (Love you, Ivy!) Also, I know that on the invitation that Kurapika dropped it says that the date of the ball is Valentines day but y'know... the spiders have only been at the mansion for only a few days, so right now everything is taking place a few months before Valentines day. **

**Sorry for babbling, someone privately messaged me and seemed confused. I hope that cleared things up for you! Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Chapter ten

Kalluto cant remember the last time he spent this much time around another child his age.

The Zoldyck family is a cold and harsh one. To keep up their reputation as deadly assassins, his parents and older siblings raised him to be independent and forbid him from making any real friends. He knows he has broken that rule before, but the punishment he received afterwards caused him to lose that memory.

He doesn't see any harm in it while he is so far away from home.

So here he sits, making paper dolls for Ume, his new "friend."

She gasps out in awe as Kalluto hands her yet another finished paper doll.

"I didn't know you could make dolls out of paper." She says, smiling. "Do you like dolls too?"

"Yes I do." He replies. "My mother has a lot of dolls."

"And you dont?" She asks, scooting closer to him.

"No." he says as he begins to fold another sheet of paper.

"Really?" Pipes Nobunaga, who is sitting on a couch behind them with Franklin. "You'd think a kid born into such a rich and powerful family would be spoiled rotten"

Kalluto cannot help but laugh.

'_If only he knew.._'

Ume grabs Kalluto's hand and stands.

Kalluto stands with her.

"Naga-San." Says Ume as she approaches Nobunaga, holding out her paper dolls. "Hold these."

Nobunaga furrows his brow as the child sets them onto his lap before dragging Kalluto out of the room.

"Lucius might be asleep." Says Ume. "She has lots of dolls. I don't think she would mind showing you."

"A-Are you sure that we should wake her up?" Stutters Kalluto as Ume leads him down the corridor. "Wont she be angry?"

"No. Lucius says she cant stay mad at me forever. Oh! She could also lend you some clothes! You're taller than me, but you could probably fit into one of her dresses."

Kalluto sweatdrops.

'_This girl takes things too literally._"

But he does like the idea of trying on Lucius's clothing.

Lolita-fashion always interested him. Especially gothic-lolita.

The two stop outside Lucius's bedroom door. Ume reaches her fist up to the doors surface and knocks five times.

* * *

Lucius yawns.

Was that five knocks or four?

She doesn't get up until she hears it again.

Five knocks. So its Ume.

Slowly, she pulls herself off of the floor. She sits up and rubs her eyes before checking her surroundings. She figures that she must have passed out again. She cant remember going to sleep.

"Lu-cius! Lucius are you awake?!"

She sighs before replying.

"Ah, yes. I am still not dressed." She shouts back. "I will be there in a moment." She stands and begins to remove her clothing as she pushes a curtain aside and walks into her closet.

Well, it's not exactly a closet.

This is where she keeps her personal items, clothing, musical items, books and trunks full of a variety of other things. All of these things are neatly organized on shelves and hangars.

But its not exactly just a storage room either. In the back of the room there is a staircase leading up to the top floor. Beside the staircase is another bed. This is the bed she uses.

She only ever explained the reason for this bed to Argo. And she intends to keep it that way.

ignoring the dark thoughts coming into her mind, she slips into a different dress dress and tights before walking back through the curtain and to the vanity. She grabs a brush and pushes it through her black, bobbed hair. She stands and now goes to the door.

* * *

This time, Feitan wakes up to talking outside his bedroom door. His upper lip twitches upwards. Aggravated, he pulls the covers over his head.

He only slept for an hour last night, he isn't isn't in the mood for this shit. If this little girl is going to keep this up, he may lose his temper.

It's not like she serves any type of purpose anyways. Honestly, he'd be doing everyone a favor by getting rid of her. Everyone would be able to sleep in peace and nobody would have to deal with annoying shouting and crying all the time.

He sighs and imagines giving her the worst death ever.

Too bad he cant.

He's been nothing but bored ever since he got here. He only got a little bit of action, but he never spilled any blood. And now, he's so hungry for it that he's starting to get excited from just the color red.

His stomach grumbles.

Or maybe he's just craving breakfast.

He doesn't take the time to dress himself or tend to his messy hair after he gets out of bed. Instead, he heads straight to the door. But before opening it, he listens in to the conversation outside. He's careful to not stay too close to the door.

"So you prefer women's clothing?"

This is Lucius's voice.

"Um, yes. Would that be too weird?"

Kalluto.

"Of course it's not! Lucius, she's really silly."

The child.

"Ume, Kalluto is male." Lucius says. "Does that offend you? I apologize."

"N-No not at all. I get that often..."

"He wont be mad at me, Lu-San. We're friends now."

Lucius laughs.

Feitan gets a strange feeling.

"I also wanted to show Kalluto your dolls too. Did you know you can make paper dolls?"

Feitan never knew that much about Kalluto. He actually never took the time to assign any gender onto Kalluto, its not like he cares that much.

The rest of the conversation is muffled and quiet and the closing of a door sounds the end of it.

Did she let Kalluto into her bedroom?

And here he thought that it was hard to gain access to her room.

"Tch."

He turns and looks out the window behind him before exiting his room to head to the kitchen.

Feitan finds himself alone in the kitchen. Upon searching through the cupboards and fridge, he can find nothing but fruit.

...Fruit.

Just fruit?

In this entire gigantic kitchen there is no meat, there is no vegetables and there isn't any type of wheat or cereal. All he can find is a bunch of empty cupboards and just a huge pile of fruit on the top shelf of the refrigerator.

'_Whatever_' He thinks. '_I make this work_.' Besides, he's never been picky about food.

So eventually, he has two piles of fruit on each side of him. He sets the banana peels, stems and apple cores on the table in front of him. Actually once he thinks about it, he cant remember if he even ate yesterday.

Oh well, if he didn't then he's definitely making up for it now.

And while he's eating, he ponders.

What is wrong with him?

He can't even focus.

He should be plotting against the Chain User. He should be constructing new torture methods especially _FOR_ the Chain User. But instead, he's all wrapped up about something he normally would have taken care of by now.

But he cant take care of the problem. Not as long as his problem is his "ally."

He curses her name.

If it wasn't for her, he'd be perfectly fine.

Lucius. What kind of stupid name is that?

Oh look! There he goes again, distracted by his own thoughts. In fact, he's thinking so hard that when Phinks enters the kitchen, he almost doesn't notice.

"Hey Fei. When you're done eating, we're going down to see Rei. She said she'd show us the goods once she grabs the mail." He says, taking a seat near him.

_Male_?

What the hell?

Feitan stares at Phinks in honest confusion.

"Phinks." Feitan starts. "Why is she grabbing a male?" He says this with the most sincere expression that Feitan could pull off. Phinks blinks. Now he's confused.

"No, you misheard me, I think. She's grabbing THE mail."

THE male?

THE man?

Who is this man?

"Why is she grabbing him?"

Phinks furrows his brow. At first, he doesn't know what the hell Feitan is all worried about. But then, he starts laughing. Feitan is even more confused now. And when Phinks lapses into hysterical laughter, Feitan decides he's not in the mood for it. Especially since he got so little sleep. He gives Phinks what he likes to call, "The Death Eye."

But Phinks doesn't see it, he's too busy wiping tears from his face.

This just puts Feitan in an even worse mood.

And when Rei bursts through the kitchen door holding an envelope. Just another thing to piss him off today.

"I've got the mail~!" She sings, holding up the envelope to Phinks's face.

Oh, a letter.

Phinks pushes the envelope in her hands downwards. "Good." He says.

"You show us treasure now." Demands Feitan.

"Ah, no. Not yet."

Phinks's eye twitches.

"What do you mean not yet?"

She wags the envelope in his face again while saying: "It's addressed to Lucius. So, we gotta wait until she comes down here." She inspects the envelope closer. "I kind of wanna see that it is. We barely get any mail."

"It seems a little dangerous for a group of '_notorious thieves_' to have a mailing system set up, doesn't it?" Says Phinks, amused.

Feitan lets out a "Hmph" and rolls his eyes.

"It's fi-ne." Assures Rei, waving off his comment. "Only Shadowmen know about it. But this one doesn't say who it's from..."

"Why dont open it?" suggests Feitan, even though he really doesn't want anything to do with her or Lucius anymore. And she is about to take up his suggestion before Tadao bursts through the doors.

"YO! DROP THAT LETTER!"

Rei gives him a blank expression before un-pinching the envelope, allowing it to flutter to the floor. She stares at him.

"Wash your hands. Now." Tadao orders while kneeling and observing the envelope on the floor. Feitan and Phinks now stand beside Rei.

"What's up with him?" Asks Phinks.

"He's paranoid." She says bluntly.

"Not paranoid!" Says Tadao from the floor. "I found a shit-ton of these letters stuffed in the mailbox last week too. It was too suspicious, so before I opened them I scanned them for substances. They were all laced with anthrax**(A/N: Anthrax is a poisonous bacteria).** I didn't see what was inside."

"So did you tell Lu about it?" Asks Rei, who has just finished washing her hands. She now rests up against the fridge.

"No. I didn't want her to leave on her own to find whoever the hell sent it."

Rei gives him a goofy smile. "Worried she'll be gone for weeks again and come home half dead?"

"That was a different story." Says Tadao. "I mean, she cant possibly track them down alone."

"So someone's trying to kill the French girl?" Asks Phinks with a hand on his hip. "Why are you so worked up about it?"

"Yep!" Says Rei.

"Because we need Lu for a lot of things. That's why we're so worked up." Replies Tadao. "So just in case, we're not going to let her go alone."

Rei smiles at Phinks and Feitan now. "Feel like coming along?"

It isn't quite the kind of entertainment Feitan wants, but it definitely seems amusing.

So, he agrees.

* * *

Lucius runs her fingers through Kalluto's hair. Kalluto is holding one of Lucius's many dolls that sit scattered around her bedroom. She has given it to him.

Kalluto doesn't understand. Why would someone give away such an expensive doll like that? She could have easily pawned it instead for almost a thousand Jenny. He'd imagine that someone with such a large collection would hold onto them wait until the price for them got higher and higher.

Why just give them away like that?

"A-Ah... thank you. You know... I honestly didn't think you would be so nice." He says as she clips a bow in the back of his hair.

"I am usually not so nice." She says while adjusting her position on the floor behind him. "I can tell that you are not like the others in your group. That is why I am so nice to you. A slight smile appears on her face. "Besides...I enjoy this."

"Then why didn't you become something like a fashion designer or a musician instead of a thief?" He asks.

"I am already a musician, but I chose not to make that my profession. I told you, I am not so nice."

"Lu-San is only nice to my daddy's friends and my friends." Says Ume, who is sitting on the floor next to them.

There is a few minutes of silence before Lucius says: "And... it is done." She snaps one final clip into his hair. She hands Kalluto a circular mirror with a handle. Kalluto lets out a small gasp.

He now looks almost identical to the doll in his lap. He blushes a bit. Nobody has been this kind to him.

_Nobody except for Killua._

"Wah~ Kalluto-San! You look so pretty!" coos Ume.

His blush deepens. "Thank you." He says smiling.

Loud footprints interrupt the moment. There is frantic pounding at the door. Lucius's head turns. She hears four knocks then a pause. Then there is seven knocks.

Rei and Tadao.

Calmly, she stands from her position on the floor and looks at the two confused children.

"It sounds like they need me." She says. "You two, go play somewhere else now."

* * *

Lucius and Tadao stand ahead of Phinks and Feitan. The two are inspecting the grass in the front yard. Tadao has found something with a device that he just calls his "Scanner."

"Whoever it was," He says. "They left a trail of weakened anthrax. It's only enough to make you ill, so just avoid breathing it in and we'll be fine. The bacteria seems heavily processed." Lucius nods and looks out into the woods.

She has a good idea of who has been sending her those letters.

* * *

**So, what did y'all think? I'd love to know!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello! So, I wont be able to get much work done on the weekend, I'm visiting family. But, I promise to do as much as I can and update as soon as I can. So, I wont waste any time by blabbing too much like the last chapter, so here's chapter eleven!**

* * *

Chapter Eleven

"Whoever sent those letters... they really want you to find them, Lu."

Tadao and Lucius are in front of Feitan in Phinks, scanning the ground as they walk.

Lucius doesn't seem particularly bothered or threatened, or at least from what Feitan can tell. In fact, she seems more bothered by the light morning drizzle showering over their heads. Lucius looks up at the cloudy sky past the shield of tree branches above her, allowing Tadao to continue.

"I'm worried the rain will wash out the trail. it's going to freeze up on the ground when the temperature drops."

"Do not worry about the trail." She replies. "I know where to go." She smooths out her hair that has begun to flatten and frizz from the rain and the moisture. She shivers and exhales in exasperation, her breath is a visible puff of vapor.

Feitan notices her discomfort and is both annoyed and amused.

He is amused for obvious reasons, but he is annoyed; how can such a simple thing like the weather sway her more than him breaking her goddamn finger?

Feitan doesn't let that cause his already cranky attitude to worsen. He whips out his umbrella from deep within his pocket and decides to ignore the girl for now. He remembers what Phinks had said to him just a few days ago.

_"Well, you cant do anything to her anyways. This is about the Chain User and the Troupe as a whole. So you better fucking focus, alright?"_

Man, he really hates being scolded by someone like Phinks.

"So how do you know where to go?" Asks Phinks. "If you know where to go, then you must know who sent the letters."

Feitan doesn't want to listen, but he cant exactly do much to avoid it.

"Ah.. How to explain this situation properly..." She looks up at the sky to think

Feitan mentally smacks Phinks with a chair.

'Damn you, Phinks!' He thinks angrily. 'Why you ask girl complicated questions?!'

Feitan knows quite well by now that it takes her awhile to answer complex questions. He noticed this even in the few days that he has spent at the mansion. Despite how much this annoys him, he continues to ignore it as best as he can.

"I do not fight people that I know cannot defeat or are not worth killing. I fight to kill, or I do not fight at all." She explains. "I was defeated once a long time ago. I had poor judgment." Another pause. "I gave that person a permanent injury. I understand why he would like me dead after that. He is the only person who would want to kill me."

Tadao laughs. "But letters laced with anthrax?! That's just cowardly."

"What did you do to him?" Inquires Phinks again, who is genuinely interested.

Feitan really is about to kick the shit out of him.

But then again... the thought of her defeat...

Now _that's_ exciting.

Now that he will be joining the two Shadowmen on this mission, he may be able to witness her defeat, or possibly death, with his own eyes. Even if it wasn't done by his hands, it still excites him.

She answers in a monotone voice

"I made him unable to hear."

"His hearing must be just that important to him, then."

"It was."

* * *

When the group of four had set out into the forest, they were unaware of the pair of eyes watching them from inside of the mansion.

Chrollo and Argo are in the dining room. Chrollo stands at the window, watching the group's departure. Argo walks up to him from behind calmly.

"Does it bother you? I can call Tadao and tell them to avoid the city."

"No." Says Chrollo, turning to him. "I gave them my orders to stay hidden. They'll stay out of sight in public, do not worry yourself." He smiles and averts his gaze to the book in his hands. "Surely you trust them."

"Of course I do." Says Argo. "But are you certain that the Chain User is in YorkNew?"

"More than certain."

The slam of the dining room door sounds the end of their conversation. Ume doesn't bother shutting the door behind her before running barefooted up to her father, bringing his legs into a tight embrace. She pulls at the side of his trousers.

Argo chuckles and pulls her up into her arms. "And how is my little princess? We're dying to know."

Ume grabs at her father's collar while glancing at Chrollo warily. "...I'm good. But there is no more food left, daddy." She says. "Lucius said she would make us lunch but she said she had to go..."

Chrollo cocks his head and gives the girl a smile. "Who exactly is 'we'?"

"Me and Kalluto."

Chrollo looks behind the father and his daughter to see Kalluto hiding behind the open door. He notices his different attire and smiles again. He is aware of Kalluto's feminine interests.

Ume jumps out of Argo's arms and prances over to Kalluto.

"Ume, tell Rei to bring you and everyone else out to eat for lunch." Argo instructs. The girl nods before grabbing Kalluto's hand and running off.

"She is afraid of me." Says Chrollo, turning back to Argo. "She is just like her mother. Sharp instincts."

"No. She doesn't get that from her mother." Argo sits at the dining room table. "She learned everything she knows from Tadao and Lucius. Honestly, Lucius raised her into what she is today all on her own. She has done a better job than I could have."

"Are you sure? I see a lot of her mother in her."

"Are you hungry too?" Asks Argo, obviously avoiding his question. "We know of a good steakhouse east of YorkNew..."

Chrollo takes note of his reaction.

It is an exploitable weakness.

After Chrollo doesn't respond, Argo sighs.

"She isn't afraid of Nobunaga, he has a soft spot for children. She's not afraid of Franklin, Kortopi, Shalnark, Shizuku or Kalluto. But, she is afraid of Machi, you, Phinks and especially Feitan." He explains. "She told me."

"So, she knows that Phinks and Feitan are more likely to kill her out of annoyance. Machi doesn't like children at all and Phinks is generally hostile including Feitan, who is probably just a very scary individual in a child's eyes." Says Chrollo. "She understands who is a threat and who isn't?"

"Yes. You are exactly correct."

"And she knows all of this just by scanning their aura...?"

"Yes, but unfortunately... that is only the second thing we know about her gift."

Yes, Chrollo has heard much about Ume's gift.

He knows of it's powerful influence and how it was passed to her via genetics. That means, that no matter how hard Chrollo tried at it, he would never be able to steal her abilities.

Or so he was told.

Maybe the child could sense his ill intentions?

Now that would be interesting.

* * *

Trashed streets and ally-ways. Run down and abandoned homes. Feitan is used to shabby places like this, but he had never been to this part of YorkNew before.

He is closely following Tadao and Lucius, who seem to be quite familiar with these dirt roads.

The rain has stopped now and has turned to light snow. According to Tadao's non-stop babbling, apparently it is rare to snow much at all in YorkNew. And after nobody replies to Tadao, Feitan is certain he isn't the only one suffocating in annoyance.

"Also, I read online yesterday that this winter will be the coldest ones we've had in years. I believe it said we'll even have a few snowstorms!"

Feitan grumbles to himself quietly and hangs his head, staring at his feet as he walks. There is no way he will allow his annoyance to show just in case Tadao is doing this on purpose. He doubts that this is the case, but Feitan gives nobody the pleasure of seeing his displeasure.

Well, of course that's a lie. But he definitely didn't let any of the people who have seen him express any kind of negative emotion live afterwards.

Except for the Troupe.

...And Lucius.

But he doesn't worry about that as long as he keeps telling himself that he isn't going to let her live once this is all over.

After a long, annoying stroll through what Phinks just loves calling "The Ghetto," Lucius suddenly stops walking. Feitan still isn't watching where he is going and bumps into Phinks before stretching out his neck to see what is going on in front of him.

Lucius stands in front of one of the few standing buildings on one of the many barren streets. It's a bar, with red and yellow stained windows and burnt wooden walls covered in dirt. The door to the place is wide open and is held to the wall with a bucket full of cigarette butts and ash.

"Is this the place, Lu?" Asks Tadao, who has finally piped down a bit.

Lucius doesn't take the time to reply. She walks forward into the bar. Hesitantly, Tadao follows in after her.

Once Feitan follows Phinks into the bar, he is almost overwhelmed by the smell of smoke. Of course, he is used to the smell. In fact, it doesn't even compare to the rancid odors that brush up after each one of his torture sessions.

The smell of booze creeps up at his nose as well as he approaches Tadao and Lucius in the smokey bar. They have seated themselves at a table near the door.

Upon scanning his surroundings, he finds the bar quite empty save for a few bearded men with tattoos covering almost every inch of their arms at one table on the opposite side of the bar.

Phinks pulls up a chair and sits as well, but Feitan doesn't join them.

He feels the stares from the other men behind him. He stuffs his hands into his pockets and pretends that he doesn't notice. He glances at Lucius, who's eyes are glued on a clock on a wall above a pool table in the back of the bar. He guesses that she is avoiding the stares as well.

The clock reads 11:55.

"Uh... so... what exactly are we here for?" Asks Phinks to Lucius in a hushed voice.

"Wait." She replies, not moving her eyes from the clock. "Five minutes."

Once the clock reads 12:00, Lucius stands. The group of three watch her as she slowly makes her way to the center of the bar, her small heels clicking on the cracked wooden floor.

The gang of bikers at the table behind her have been watching her the whole time. One of the men raises an eyebrow and itches at his beard.

"This bar aint no place for little girls." He says in a scratchy, rough voice.

The other man at the table with him laugh.

Lucius ignores him and now fixes her sight on the door. She has no time for distractions, not when _he_ has arrived.

He walks in, his trench coat flowing behind him. From underneath his dirty red bandana, she can tell he is smiling at her.

_Always on time. He is always on time. Not a minute late._

He laughs. "Aw... The anthrax didn't get'cha?"

She gives him a blank stare.

"Don't you worry." He says mockingly. "I've learned to read lips." He removes his sunglasses before crossing his tattooed arms.

The men behind Lucius cautiously stand from their table and slowly inch their way to the back of the room, giving the man in the doorway wary looks.

She still does not reply.

"Well, I don't know what I expected from little Lucius. You never were much of a talker."

He goes to take a step closer to her, but she takes a step back. Her heel against the wood is the only sound heard followed by his chuckles.

"I'm still mad at you, baby-girl. I hope you didn't think for a second that you could escape your punishment after what you did to me." He pulls down his bandana to reveal his face, heavily scarred and deformed. "Look at me. You fucked me up, baby-girl." He grins, flashing pink gums and a few yellow teeth. "But today I'll send you to hell for it. Say hello to your father when you see him there, I bet he misses his _little doll..._"

Lucius almost flashes him an evil glare, but she catches herself.

"Do I have your attention now, _dolly_?"

She narrows her eyes, thinking. Should she attack? She was so weak back then, a child in fact. She had no chance against someone like him in the first place. But then again, he had just as much time to improve as she did, so attacking right off the bat would not be the smartest idea. So she decides that it would be better if he threw the first punch, so she does the same thing that he is trying to do. She is going to provoke him.

"_Tais-Toi_." She says, suppressing her anger. "How does it feel to know that you will never hear the sound of your own music again? Without your hearing, you have no more talent." She pauses. "It is embarrassing, no?"

That did it.

In almost an instant, the man jumps at her.

* * *

**So there you have it! I would really appreciate feedback on this chapter. Thank you for reading ^_^**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey guys! **

**To: ****Rinrikapyon, I tend to update really often because I find myself with literally nothing to do but write so thats why I update so fast haha... I have no life outside of the internet lmao. Also you're really sweet, thank you!**

**To: SilverSapphire34523, I promise you'll be seeing Kurapika POV soon. I'm planning on it in the next chapter actually!**

**And finally, To: DelphiniumSweets, IKR **

* * *

Chapter 12

(x)

_"She's a tiny little thing..."_

_"Her size will come in handy."_

_"How old is she?"_

_"About eleven years old."_

_"She is from the Dupont family?"_

_"Yes. She is the last one remaining."_

_"Does she have the gene?"_

_"If she didn't have the gene, she would be worthless to sell here. If I was selling some random orphan brat, I'd sell her for cheap to some pedophile." _

_"How much can I buy her for?"_

_"One hundred and thirty thousand Jenny."_

(x)

Lucius jumps back, avoiding the man's attack easily.

The man pulls out a switchblade. This time, she has no room to move back. He grabs her and pushes her down onto the table behind her where the group of men once sat. He holds the blade up to her neck.

She wont fight back just yet. She knows that he will not finish her off so quickly.

"The more you talk, the worse it will be for you..." He moves the blade from her neck to her lower abdomen. Lucius expects a stab, but the man's eyes wonder to her arms, which are limp at her sides. She isn't fighting back.

He throws the blade over his shoulder and instead, he sends a punch across her right cheek. This causes her to stumble to her left. She holds her cheek and turns away from him.

It's a good thing she saw that coming. If she hadn't been protecting her face with Nen the second she saw his fist aimed at her, the blow would have broken her jaw.

Its funny to her. She was able to manipulate his emotions without even bending any vibrations or words. She looks over to Tadao. She doesn't have to say anything, he already knows what to do.

The man doesn't attack again. He squints at her with a look of confusion.

"You think you're smart, don't you brat? Communicating with your friends while your back is turned to me..." He lifts his bandana back over his mouth. "You love mocking me, dont you?!"

CLAP!

SLAM!

The deaf man is obviously unaware of the sounds beginning to surround him. But the men at the back of the room and the three allies at the table hear it.

Lucius turns to face the man and mouths the words:

"_Fourteenth Symphony_"

* * *

Tadao slams his hands together and then slams his fists onto the table. Feitan isn't sure what is happening and Phinks seems just as confused as he is.

Tadao only does this once, but the sound is still echoing through the room, like a beat.

Lucius raises her hands up and out. The beat intensifies.

"You may not be able to hear my music." She says, putting her arms out in front of her. "But you can still_ feel_ it."

The air around her sort of ripples as Nen pumps from her fingertips.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Asks Phinks, holding his ears as the sounds around them get louder.

"Her music cuts like a blade." Tadao digs into his shorts pocket and pulls out a small package of tissues. Quickly and seemingly rushed, he tears the package open and rolls two separate pieces of tissue into balls. He shoves them into his ears and pushes the package towards Feitan and Phinks. "And they may make your ears bleed."

While Phinks does the same, Feitan cant help but wonder...

Can music really do that?

He understands how her vibrations could be deadly, but he doesn't understand the point of the music itself.

After securing the tissues into his ears, Feitan watches as the man attacks Lucius again. His mouth is moving under his bandana, but he cannot hear what he is saying over the sounds that Lucius is creating and the cotton in his ears.

Her sounds fluctuate in pitch and tune as she dodges his punches. Feitan notices that her sounds have now formed into a simple tune and that her steps and movements are synchronized with the beat.

She strikes him with a blurred fist to the stomach then jumps back according to the rhythm. She does this again in a pattern until the man breaks it by landing a kick to her side.

Feitan thinks this is strange. He knows very well that Lucius is capable of more than that- faster than what she is displaying in her current match. She was much faster when she was playing tennis with Feitan.

He also thinks it's stupid. If her music is capable of much more...

"Why she no end end this?"

Tadao is a bit shocked to hear this question come from Feitan, who really hasn't spoken at all during the fight or even during the walk to the bar. Tadao shrugs.

"She probably has her own reason."

(x)

_"Lucius, darling. Wait here for your new uncle, Gaku. Always on time. He is always on time. And in five minutes when he arrives, I want you to do everything he says. No matter what._

_The girl's eyes twinkled as she watched her father leave the empty bar. She kicked her feet in boredom as she watched the clock._

_Silently, she hummed a tune while she waited. _

_She had no idea what was going on, or why her father left her in an abandoned bar all alone. She also didn't recognize the man that walked in the second the clock hit 12:00._

_He was a tall man with jet black spiked hair. He hid his eyes with sunglasses and covered his clothing with a long trench coat. There was a red bandana tied around his right thigh._

_He smiled and licked his teeth before spitting on the floor._

_"You must be Hiro's new brat."_

_Lucius did not reply. She looks at him with a plain, somewhat sad look._

_"He wasn't joking when he said you look like a doll..." Gaku scanned her from head to toe. "Why does he dress you like that? Damn lolicon perverted bastard..."_

_He approached her._

_"Well...? Answer me, brat."_

_Panic sets in. Lucius stutters. "I-I have been wearing these clothing since one year... He never dress me." _

_Gaku noticed her grammatical errors and heavy accent and laughed._

_"How do you make the 'spectacular' music your dad always talks about if you cant even speak right?"_

_She looks down._

_"I do not sing."_

_Gaku rolls his eyes and lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him._

_"Your daddy wants me to teach you a lesson for mouthin' off..." He threateningly raised a hand to smack her right cheek. She flinched and shut her eyes tight. She prepared for a painful impact._

_He just laughed and lowered his hand. Lucius is shaking and crying. _

_"But I wont if you do exactly what I say."_

(x)

Lucius is speeding up now, her song adapts as she moves quicker. As she changes her attack patterns, the sounds around her become more complicated.

Lucius bites her lip.

Is she being too cautious? So far, she hasn't noticed any big changes from their last fight save for his tremendous strength. She decides to try something different.

And it proves to be quite surprising to the man.

Instead of coming at him again head-on, she holds out her hands in front of her. When he comes at her, the song stops completely.

It is silent until his fist is just a few inches away from her face. There is a popping noise as she gently pushes her hands forward.

There is a popping sound.

He is sent back a few feet. He stumbles and falls. She approaches him and holds her hands down now, holding him down with her Nen fused vibrations. He doesn't look like he struggles against it. He allows it to happen with a smile underneath his bandana.

She knows he's playing with her.

"If you are so confident, why do you not finish me quicker?" She asks, standing above him with a glare. "I am not just a _doll_ anymore."

"You're right." He says. "You've turned into less of a doll with that leader of yours."

Her eyes widen when she sees him move against her vibration barrier with ease. He stands.

Her neutral expression shifts into a face of anger mixed with deep concentration. After exhaling, her mouth curls into a small frown.

She can sense that he is suddenly so much stronger now.

What kind of Nen ability is that?

"I was surprised to see that you still hung around your daddy's old mansion after you got rid of him."

Her arms go limp at her sides, lowering her defenses. He continues.

"It made me man to see your 'new daddy' acting like the boss of the place."

Her blood runs cold, and so does her tone of voice.

"_Excuse_ me?"

* * *

Feitan is finally getting some entertainment out of all of this. He is able to see Lucius, the girl that defied him and his methods, finally snap.

He could use this new information against her if he wanted.

He knows now that her stoic attitude can easily be shifted whenever the man calls her "doll" or "dolly." And now, after the man addressed Argo as her "new daddy," he can hear the anger in her shaky voice.

"You are nothing but a puppet now. At least you were beautiful as a doll."

Feitan isn't sure what this means, but he is sure that he likes what it does to Luicus.

At first, she lowers her head and whispers something he cant understand.

"What was that?"

She lifts her head just high enough for him to see her mouth.

"I am not a puppet. I am not a doll..." She quickly shoves her hands into her sleeves and pulls out two twin blades. "_I am not a possession!_"

(x)

_"Darling, you are my doll now. My prized possession."_

_"You wont eat until you've written an entire symphony. You'll be my little music box until your father picks you up."_

(x)

"Hiro was hardly a father to me!" She sprints at him. Feitan only sees her as a blur until she appears in front of the man. "He was my owner. And I was just a decoration."

When she attempts to stab the man in the stomach, He grabs her wrists and squeezes them tightly.

He is so much stronger.

A jolt of pain shoots her arms as he twists her wrists inwards. She gasps and coats her wrists in Nen to prevent further injury. She kicks him in the shin.

The kick sends a voltage of vibrations into his leg. He grunts and his back hits the wall behind him. She kicks him again, then sweeps his feet which makes him stagger to the side and fall to the ground. For a second, she is free from his grip. But before she can jump back and deliver the final blow, he jumps up and grabs her.

She is weak compared to him physically.

He throws her into the wall opposite of them. She slams into the door and falls on her rear.

Feitan lets out a gleeful chuckle.

She stands and looks at Tadao.

Tadao stands and motions for Feitan and Phinks to follow him out the door. Once they are out of the bar and the door closes behind them, she looks back at the man.

'_gaku...'_

_Her tone is dripping venom._

"Death Waltz!"

* * *

Feitan hears nothing from inside the bar. No talking. No music. Nothing.

Phinks turns to Tadao, his shoes crunching in the light layer of snow on the ground.

"Was she going easy on him?"

"I think so. Not sure why either." Replies Tadao. "She's pissed though."

Phinks chuckles. "Yeah, for awhile I really thought she was incapable of emotion. But she was pissed and still managed to hold back."

"Yeah, but she aint holding back no more."

Phinks is about to ask him what he means by that until a scream comes from inside the bar. It is impossible to tell who it came from, but it sounds distorted and masculine.

A minute later, Lucius flings the door wide open and walks out. She is perfectly calm.

Actually, she is even smiling a little.

Feitan grumbles angrily, then looks behind her into the bar.

The men are in the back of the room with confused, terrified expressions. Her opponent is on the floor, dead.

Blood is oozing from his nose, mouth and ears and into the cracks in the floor to the wall. Her twin blades are lodged into his skull.

She closes the door and looks at Tadao before falling forwards into his chest. Feitan is delighted to see that she has fainted. Tadao swings her up and over his shoulder and sighs.

"Well," He says. "Glad that's over with."

* * *

**Thank you for reading! I can take criticism so whatever you've got, dont be afraid to throw it at me! **


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey guys! I couldn't update yesterday because It was my birthday and you know how it is, family stuff and a lot of stuff with friends. So, I apologize for that! Another thing: I will probably not be able to update at all this week, as it is finals and my grades require my full focus in order to save them lmao. So, I hope you enjoy this chapter, its a more laid back chapter because I have just been busy with school work in general.**

**onto the story!**

* * *

Chapter 13

_BANG!_

Kurapika gasps and sits up in alarm. He doesn't move. He doesn't even breathe.

The sound came from downstairs, he's certain. It sounded like a heavy metallic object had fallen to the floor and rolled across the room.

Slowly, his eyes wander the the alarm clock on his night stand to his right. The red blinking light reads 3:14 a.m.

He takes a deep breath and hides his presence. He begins to shake; not out of fear, but out of anxiousness and anticipation. He bites his lip.

Could the Phantom Troupe of planned to ambush him while he was asleep?

Or is that a simple-minded thought?

You'd think the Troupe would come up with a much more elaborate plan than that. So it was unlikely they would plan something so simple and cowardly. The Troupe would make a more bold entrance. Kurapika uses these thoughts in effort to calm himself, but it doesn't quite help in the way he wanted it to.

'_Besides, the Troupe isn't cowardly. And they'd never let themselves make so much noise..._'

He shakes his head

_'If it is an intruder, it can't be the Troupe..._'

Or can it?

The Nostrade mansion has the highest of security systems installed all over the estate in order to secure Neon's safety and the safety of Light Nostrade's (now nonexistent) fourtune. Some common thief would never be able to get past it without setting off an alarm.

So... is it the Troupe?

'_No, no_.' Kurapika shakes his head. 'You're being paranoid.'

Quietly and cautiously, he finally sets his blanket aside and crawls off of his bed. He stands and grabs his cellphone from his nightstand. He turns it on and uses its light to guide him to his bedroom door safely.

He opens the door just a crack. He listens.

Nothing.

The door creaks as he slowly opens the door just wide enough for him to slip out. His bare feet sweep the carpeted hallway floor as he makes his way closer to the stairs.

"SHHHHHH!"

He has to stop himself from gasping. He jumps across the hallway into the open bathroom and leans against the door, careful to not hit the light switch behind him. His heartbeat and the sound of whispering is the only thing he can hear. He cant make out what the whispers say, but he really doesn't care anyways. When he decides it's safe, he quietly exits the bathroom.

He tip-toes down the stairs and turns to his right towards the kitchen, peeking out from behind the wall. He squints, trying to make out what he sees in the darkness. The whispering has stopped.

He sees two figures moving around in the kitchen. The one he can see more clearly is a small, bent-over figure near the sink. It's rummaging through a cabinet, obviously trying its best to not make any more noise. He is about to approach the figures and grab them, but one of them moves towards the fridge and opens it.

Kurapika is blinded by the refrigerator light. When his eyes adjust, he is relieved to see Gon and Killua standing in front of the lit fridge with their backs turned to him.

Kurapika un-shields himself and sighs out loud. This causes Gon to jump considerably high, obviously startled. Killua seems to have noticed him before Gon, as he turned and smiled at Kurapika the second he let his presence be known.

Kurapika chuckles and smiles back.

"I can cook an early breakfast, if you'd like."

* * *

Kurapika slides the last pancake in the pan onto Gon's plate and silently sets the pan in the kitchen sink. He turns back to Gon and Killua, who are already chowing down.

"You could have woken me up." He says, sighing while taking a seat next to them. "You should be more careful to not make much noise at night. Melody could have woken up."

Killua sweatdrops. "Gon knocked a pan off of the stove while he was trying to reach the flour. Oh, and he almost killed himself on the way down."

Gon rubs his neck and laughs nervously with a full mouth. "But I didn't, so its okay!"

"Dumbass! You would have if I didn't catch you!"

Kurapika laughs. There's no way he is annoyed by their bickering or playful teasing, even if it was him being teased. He could never be mad or upset by it, or them. Ever. He actually really missed it while he was away from them. It gives him a wonderful feeling, it makes him feel at home.

He leans forward and suddenly groans. He had forgotten about his injury that he gained from his battle with the mummy-spider. The pain knocks the wind out of him. Killua and Gon notice this and immediately rush to his side before he falls off of his chair, lifting him by his arms.

"Kurapika, Are you alright?!"

"What happened?!"

Despite how painful it is, Kurapika smiles and utters: "Y-Yes... I'm fine."

He can fake it for them. Fake everything. Fake his smile to reassure them. Fake his happiness to match theirs.

Besides, they're more than friends.

They're family.

And this time, he vows to protect this family.

* * *

Its around 3:30 a.m.

Of course he's awake.

But, he's bored out of his mind. Feitan is in his assigned bedroom alone, staring out the window at the snow-topped courtyard.

He's been doing basically nothing ever since he returned to the mansion from Lucius's fight. Actually, after that, he was more annoyed than anything.

She just pranced out of that bar with a smile on her face and a content attitude. Then, she just _fell_ over!

Who the fuck even does that?

He has only two theories:

She rushed the three of them out of the bar because she simply didn't want them to watch her getting beaten up so badly.

But he already de bunked that theory, the only visible wounds she possessed after the fight was the bruises around both of her wrists. Nothing enough to cause her to pass out. But, he likes to imagine that she got her ass handed to her in that bar.

And then, there was the more likely theory:

She rushed them out so that Phinks and himself would not be able to see some sort of special/dangerous ability of hers in order to secure her safety, or theirs.

His reasoning behind this one?

Simple.

Tadao could tell that she wanted them out from just a glare, indicating that he knew that they would either be hurt by her ability, or use it against her after wards.

But, its not like the information he has already isn't blackmail material.

He smiles deviously.

"Dolly...Dolly... why that bother you so much...? Stupid woman..."

He falls back onto the bed, his hellish grin glued to his face.

How absolutely wonderful... with just one word, he was given a window of opportunity. A beautiful, torturous opportunity.

He sits up and looks back out of the window again, only to see a certain someone standing alone in the courtyard.

Oh what a wonderful opportunity indeed!

And its just what he needs to curb his boredom.

He hops off his bed and slides to the door on his socks. But he suddenly pauses.

'_Clothing first_.'

...

"C'mon Kurapika! Just for a little bit!"

"Kurapika~ It'll be fun!"

Kurapika sighs.

Killua and Gon stand out in the freezing snow in just their pajamas. Gon is sticking his tongue out, trying to catch the falling snowflakes, and Killua is prepping a snowball to throw at Gon. Kurapika is watching from the doorstep, shivering.

"Um.. why don't we build a snowman instead?" Says Kurapika, his injury in mind. "and keep your voices down! People are still sleeping!"

"That's sounds even better!" Says Gon, ignoring Kurapika's second comment and running towards him to pull him outside. Kurapika shuffles out into the snow uncomfortably.

Killua is already rolling up a snowball, kneeling into the snow. "I've got the bottom, gon, you can make the middle and Kurapika, you can make the head!" He says, ignoring how soaked his pants already are.

"Yeah! Just don't forget the face!" Pipes Gon from the other side of the yard.

Kurapika looks at the snow warily and wiggles his frozen toes. He figures: if he's going to be out here, he might as well have fun, and he kneels as well, cringing a bit at the wet cold nipping at his knees. He begins rolling a small clump of snow until he is all the way to the side of the house. Before turning to tell Killua and Gon that he is already almost done, he takes the time to appreciate how beautiful everything around him is.

You'd think it would be pitch dark so early in the morning, but it really isn't. The moonlight reflecting off of the snow made sure of that. And the sky, veiled by dark grey clouds occasionally part to reveal the stars.

And better yet, he's with his family.

He'd never object to helping them, even with something as silly as this.

Once the snowman is all built and the three are all done working on the face, the issue of what to name it comes up.

"What about Frosty?"

"Too cliche"

"Mozart?"

"_No_, Gon."

"...Beethoven?"

"No!"

"What about... Bruce." Suggests Kurapika, not really thinking much or putting much effort into the naming process. Killua and Gon give him a blank stare before bursting out into uncontrollable laughter.

"Bruce?!"

"Who the hell names a snowman Bruce?!"

Kurapika blushes. "Well... It's a name, at least..."

"Thats a weenie name!" Says Killua! Gon stops laughing and thinks for a second before turning to Killua.

"Is Bruce Wayne a weenie too?"

"Bruce who?"

"Batman. Bruce Wayne."

"Ooh..." Killua turns back to Kurapika. "Bruce Wayne isn't a weenie name. That's what we'll name him." Killua pats Kurapika on the back.

Kurapika stifles a laugh. Oh how funny those two can be.

Once the three are all finished up outside, Kurapika suggests they all go back inside to sleep. Once Gon and Killua are situated in the guest bedroom, he returns to his own bedroom and jumps into his bed happily.

Its amazing how those two are able to change his mood so easily, even if he knows this good mood could be gone in seconds.

Before he knows it, Kurapika is sound asleep, dreaming of his friends.

Scratch that.

Family.

But he is well aware that in the morning, he will go back to wondering if he can really keep this family safe from the Phantom Troupe.

* * *

Once Feitan reaches the entrance to the courtyard, he can now see from the window that Lucius is no longer alone out there. Rei stands with her, and the two seem to be taunting Phinks, who stands across from them.

He should have known that Lucius wouldn't be just standing out in the snow alone.

Feitan watches as Phinks suddenly becomes agitated. He kicks snow into the girls faces.

Feitan lets out a chuckle, watching as Lucius wipes the snow from her eyes. He expects her to be annoyed, but instead she looks up and glances at Rei, who grins back at her. At the same time, the two girls kneel and dig their hands into the snow.

Phinks seems to know what they're about to do, but he doesn't seem to know how to react. He continues to angrily shout at them as they form the snow in their hands into balls.

Feitan decides he'd better come to Phinks's rescue before Phinks's gets pissed for just watching them assault him, so he pushes the door open and steps out into the snow. He smirks at Phinks who is motioning for him to do something. Lucius and Rei notice this, Rei is obviously more alarmed and immediately spins, sending a snowball at Feitan at light speed. If Feitan didn't duck out of the way, it would of hit him square in the face.

He's in disbelief, but he doesn't make it obvious. He takes a step forward

"You think it that easy, girl?"

Lucius giggles, holding a hand over her mouth.

Feitan gets a strange shiver, and its not from the cold. But he ignores it.

"What all this about, Phinks?" He asks, shifting his weight.

"They refuse to show us the treasure even after you beat him!" Yells Phinks.

Feitan smirks. "So, humiliation not enough for you? I give you worse." He is about to attack, sharpening his nails with his Nen. But Lucius smiles at him lightly in return.

"No. We are settling this with a snow-war." She says.

"It's '_snowball fight_,' Lucius." Corrects Rei. "We're bored. Play with us and maybe we'll change our minds..." Taunts Rei. Feitan smiles as a snow ball smacks her in the back of her head, sticking to her hair.

Rei looks back with a angry smile then runs at him, snow ball in hand.

Lucius then turns to Feitan. "So, you shall be my opponent then?"

"Come at me, Doll girl."

Feitan expects this to anger her, but instead she gives him a more understanding look.

Feitan is taken aback by this.

No_ anger_?

No_ sadness_?

"Did you expect that to bother me?" She asks, dropping to the ground and cupping another ball of snow. "It wont as long as I know you were never involved." She pauses while forming the ball in her hand. "And I know that for sure."

He doesn't hesitiate to grab the biggest ball of snow and rush at her, he doesn't even know what she's talking about but he doesn't care. He was going to stuff it in her face, but it doesn't work because she dodges to the right, but she doesn't step away from him. She doesn't even attempt to throw the ball in her hand at him. She just sort of, moves along with every one of his movements. Agitation grew within him.

What the hell is she doing? Dancing with him?!

He is about to actually grab her and force her down just to hit her with his damn snowball but she jumps back and tilts her head.

"Let us not settle this like children. I am tired anyways." she looks him up and down. "I would lose to you anyways while you are at full health." She stretches and gives him a blank look. "I have no problem showing you once they are done with the fight."

And with that she turns around and heads up the steps to the door, but she is still holding the snowball in her small hand. He doesn't turn away from her, he's well aware that she's trying to trick him. She turns back towards him again. He narrows his eyes.

"I suppose you are smarter than that." She pauses. "I should not have expected less from you."

On that note, she sends the melting snowball at him. He ducks like he did the first time, but Lucius stomps and puts her arms up in the air. Suddenly, the ball changes course and hits him on the side of the head.

It hit him!

This time, he does not hold back and instead of snow, he grabs a chunk of ice and hurdles it at her. She moves her hands to the side and the ball changes course again, sending it right into one of the mansion's many windows.

Rei hears the crash and stops fighting with Phinks.

"Oooooh, you're in trouble, dude!"

Lucius looks at him with her lips slightly parted. Feitan has no idea what to think, he just wants to attack her again, but even Phinks has stopped now.

"You the one who re-directed it!" He says, pointing at Lucius with a shaky angry finger. Lucius raises an eyebrow

"Yes, but you are the one who threw ice instead of snow. It is called a snowball war not-"

"Snowball _fight_" Corrects Rei

"It is called a snowball fight, not a Iceball fight." Finishes Lucius, giving him her usual blank face and putting her hands on her hips.

"You the one who redirect it to crash into window!"

Lucius puts a finger to her chin and looks up, thinking. "That is a good point..." She hums in thought. Finally, after a minute, she looks back up at him. "Well, You win. We can show you the treasure now."

Feitan eyebrow twitches as he follows her into the mansion.

This better be good, or he was about to seriously lose his shit.

* * *

**Once again, I probably will not be able to update this week due to finals. **

**To ****Rinrikapyon: I'm happy I could make your day~**

**and To: SilverSapphire34523: I hope that was enough Kurapika for you :D !**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey guys! I'm so sorry it took me so long to update and I'm sorry that this chapter is really short. I just finished finals and I had some drama going on that I had to take care of before I could focus on this fic so, I apologize. **

**In response to:**

**Chiikaboom: Thank you so much even though this took me quite long! Your sister has a pretty name c:**

**SilverSapphire34523: Kurapika is planned to be a major part of the story, he just wont be in much of the chapters until later! But I promise It will have many kurapika moments!**

**Guest: At first I actually thought Kalluto was female as well, but I looked on the wiki and apparently I was wrong lol! He's a super cute ****cross dresser! I hope that cleared some stuff up for you.**

**Rinrikapyon****: Ahah, I really don't have a life besides writing and drawing and the internet, but it isn't all that bad :) Thank you and thank you for the birthday withes!**

* * *

Chapter 14

It felt like forever, but eventually, Rei and Lucius lead the spiders down of the corridors on the first floor of the mansion. They stop and face the wall at the very end of the hallway. On the wall, there is a single, un-centered picture frame.

The painting in the frame depicts a small shadowy, feminine figure clinging from the edge of a cliff. A large spider hangs from a tree above her, watching her.

Feitan inspects the painting closely. It's nothing compared to the works of Trevor Brown, but it is definitely... interesting.

Feitan turns back to see the hallway carpet pulled back. Under the carpet there is what appears to be a small trapdoor. Rei pulls a pocket knife out from inside her bra and uses it to pry the door open.

It's too dark to see what's down there, but Lucius and Rei jump into the hold anyway. After looking at each other with a quick hesitant glance, the two spiders jump down after them.

Feitan's feet hit a cold, uneven surface. He is about to use Gyo to see into the pitch-darkness around him, but the flash and sound of a match being lit stops him. The light from Lucius's match illuminates only her face until she uses the match to light a candle in her other hand. The candle's flame is much brighter , but he cannot quite see the entire cellar until Lucius lights other candles that are hanging around on the walls.

The cellar is much larger than he expected it to be. And surprisingly, it is much cleaner than any other cellar he has been in, and there's actually more than one room.

"This is... more of a basement than a cellar..." Mutters Phinks while searching through a bookshelf.

"Well, I told you that it was smaller before we expanded it." Replies Rei, rummaging through a trunk on the right wall, sorting jewelry.

"Hey, you stole all this shit?" Asks Phinks, holding a bible in his hand with a grin on his face. "Who the hell steals bibles?"

Rei's face flushes red. "Excuse me but I am _not_ the one who stole those!"

Phinks laughs and turns the book over. "Then why does it have your name scribbled on the back?"

Rei runs to Phinks and desperately tries to snatch the bible away from him. "So what if I like to read?! So what if I'm religious?!"

Meanwhile, Feitan is ignoring this and is now exploring a different room.

This room is full of paintings.

Expensive paintings.

The other stuff he found in the other rooms of the cella were not particularly interesting, but Feitan knows a thing or two about art, and their collection is quite impressive; even if the style isn't his forte.

Actually, this room sort of reminds him of his past.

But Lucius doesn't give him any time to reminisce.

She approaches him from behind calmly.

"What you want?" He sneers, turning to face her. She doesn't even look at him before replying.

"Nothing."

She goes on to walk past him towards the biggest painting in the room, which hangs on the center of the back wall. She steps in front of it.

It's an image of a large, older male drinking wine with an elegant looking, younger woman.

She points at it.

"That is blood."

He raises an eyebrow. He pretends he isn't listening and inspects the other artwork.

"All of the paintings in this room are painted with the blood of the artist." She says. "It is.. an interesting story."

He exhales silently, trying to keep calm.

The fact that he is genuinely interested in what the girl is saying annoys him to the core.

He shouldn't care what she has to say at all. Everyone but the Troupe is nobody to him. Everybody else are nothing but sacks of flesh, nothing more. So is it wrong that he is interested in what she is saying?

No. No, he's only interested in the words coming out of her mouth, the story she is telling. So there cant be anything wrong with it, right?

He just wants to hear the story. He takes what he wants anyways.

"Tell me more, _Doll-Girl_."

* * *

She's surprised.

She really didn't expect him to listen to her, especially after she pelted him in the face with a snowball.

She isn't complaining either, a listener is a listener.

"Fifty years ago, an Italian artist made this painting." She says, pointing at the painting again. "But before he could finish this piece, he got ill. Eventually, he died." She removes the painting from the cobblestone wall and hands it to him. "After his death, his wife became depressed. She killed herself just a day after. Their son was shaken by grief." She pauses and points to the man in the painting. "This is his father, beside him is his mother. He was alone for only a week. The silence of loneliness drove him insane." She pauses again.

Feitan looks up at her.

Her bottom lip twitches as she searches for the right words.

Translating her own words from french is simple. Translating an entire story that she knew only in french is proving to be quite difficult. She is known to fumble her words and confuse words for entirely different ones, and she definitely isn't going to let the Phantom Troupe's little torturer bother her for that.

"...So? Tell me what happen, Dolly." He demands again.

She doesn't answer until she can find the right words.

"Well." She begins. "He wanted to finish the painting. But he noticed, there was not enough paint to finish it. So, he stole his father's body from the morgue before the funeral. He drained the blood and mixed it into the paint." She outlines the painting with her finger carefully. "Notice the red."

Feitan looks from the painting back at her with a cold glare.

* * *

He understands what she is saying. He notices the red tint in the colors.

But that isn't the only thing he is interested in right now.

Feitan studies the girl's icy blue eyes as she gazes upon the painting in his hands with a look he would expect a mother would give her child.

Something is familiar about the look in her eyes, but he cant quite put his finger on it.

Thankfully, he isn't given much time to think about it.

"He was caught, of course. He was not an intelligent thief. He was not like you, or your leader... or us."

You would expect someone in so much shock to react, but that isn't like Feitan; is it?

No, he did not react. But he is in a bit of a shock.

Did she...

Just _compliment_ him?

After everything he did.

After being so cold to her?

After breaking her fucking finger?!

His eyes watch as she wanders around the room, eyeing each one of the paintings with her hands clasped behind her back. She continues with the story.

"After he was arrested, he inspired many murderers; each with a deep passion for art."

She spins on her heels to face him again after she scanned the entire room.

"All of these paintings, the artists never finished them. Their killers did it for them, after they drained all the blood from their body."

He doesn't react at all when she takes the painting from him.

He wants to be angry.

But the confusion drowns out that desire.

Frankly, he's stumped.

He's not in awe. He's just... confused.

Feitan is capable of making grown men cower in fear. He's the feared Phantom Troupe's _torturer_. He's killed more people than any mathematician could ever count. He's a thief, and a famous one at that.

Who the hell compliments someone like that?!

Who compliments someone so horrible?!

In his entire life, nobody outside the Troupe _ever_ complimented him, let alone ever considered him intelligent after the things he has done.

After hanging up the painting back in its original place, Lucius walks out of the room; leaving Feitan to his thoughts.

'_...No._'

No, No, No!

She must be making fun of him, pitying him. There is no other logical explanation! She left him in there stumped on purpose.

He stands in the room full of paintings in silence.

He can hear Phinks and Rei laughing from inside the other room.

'T_he hell, Phinks?!_' He thinks angrily.

He could tell Phinks was warming up to the Shadowmen, and it just pissed Feitan off more. They've been there for a week, only a week.

Feitan is going to show them that they will never be on his good side. They will never, ever be as good as the Troupe.

_Soon._

* * *

**So, I apologize again for the small and very late chapter! I promise I will try to go back to my usual quick updates if my schedule will allow it. **

**Don't be afraid to tell me what you thought!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey guys! I'm back, and with a few surprises! I would also like to ask you guys, If I made an ask Feitan tumblr blog, would you guys be interested in seeing it if I did it once it was finished?**

**In response to:**

**Rinrikapyon:**** You gave me a BRILLIANT idea for this chapter, you'll find out when you see it ;) Also thanks for noticing my tiny little FeiLu moment! haha, I tried to keep it subtle**

**SilverSapphire34523:**** Thanks! I got the idea from a weird dream of mine lol**

**on to the chapter!**

* * *

Chapter 15

It has been three weeks. The Troupe has spent an entire month at the mansion with the Desdemona Shadowmen.

Feitan has been doing his best to avoid them all, and so has the rest of the Troupe. But lately that has been difficult for him. Usually, he's be with or around Phinks when he was bored during the day. But today, Phinks is nowhere to be found.

It is around noon, and Feitan has resorted to searching outside in the snow for something entertaining to do.

He sticks to a path in the courtyard which, strangely enough, is already shoveled. He does that to insure that his feet do not get too wet. The path leads him into the forest and he isn't really sure where it will take him, but he doesn't care as long as it doesn't lead him into the city.

Chrollo instructed the spiders specifically not to go near the city, and he's sure that the Troupe would be unhappy to hear that the Chain User found him while he was alone in YorkNew.

Feitan sighs into the silence that the forest offers him. He knows that if The Boss was with him he'd say that the silence is peaceful; but Feitan would disagree.

He works out the scene in his head.

Chrollo would ask him what he actually thinks about the silence, and Feitan would say:

"The silence is chaotic."

He chuckles after he speaks out loud to himself, now thinking about his reasoning behind it.

He considers silence like this to be the most chaotic. He calls it dead silence, while many would call it quiet. But Feitan is one who knows the difference between quiet and silence very well, and he had his "art" to thank for it.

To Feitan, quiet means an empty room with solid, thick walls, while silence means nothing and everything at the same time. Silence is loud.

Silence is death, and it's his favorite sound.

Now, he knows that none of that would make any sense to a normal person. But Feitan knows that his morbid thoughts are poetry to someone, and that person would be Chrollo.

Feitan doesn't need Chrollo at all though, and neither does the Troupe. But every once in awhile Chrollo's words are refreshing, so Feitan is loyal to him. And he is also loyal to the Troupe.

And that's why, in the large forest surrounding the mansion, Feitan is now walking in the opposite direction of the city. And fortunately for him, he wanders into an open area.

It's a cemetery.

There must be at least two hundred tombstones around him. They're all old and cracked, some are even crooked. Frozen vines lace around them and fallen pillars. In the middle of the cemetery there is a large structure which acts as an umbrella for the bench below it.

On the bench, he sees two figures.

Phinks and Rei.

Feitan acts quickly and hides behind a grave, peering at them. He wouldn't of hid if he didn't see what he just saw.

Phinks_ kissed_ her.

* * *

Lucius hums to herself quietly as she drops another handful of Ume's clothing into a laundry basket on the bedroom floor.

Today is sunday. Chore day.

Lucius has the least amount of chores out of all the shadowmen. Being the smallest and physically weakest of the group, she was not given any of the bigger tasks such as shoveling the snow or moving furniture. And now that a few members of the Phantom Troupe are helping out, she only has two chores to do today. Laundry and dishes.

And she just finished dropping off Ume's clean clothing.

She exits Ume's bedroom and yawns quietly. She's still exhausted from her fight with Gaku. Every morning since then, she has waken up on her bedroom floor, unable to remember what happened before she passed out.

It is a normal thing that happens to her after a fight, especially when she uses Death Waltz.

Oh, but that's a story for another day.

Lucius makes her way downstairs towards the kitchen, passing Shalnark and Machi. The two hush once they see her arrive in the corridor. They're very good at acting like nothing had happened, but Lucius knows better.

She passes them without greeting. She can feel them stare at the back of her head as she turns the corner into the dining room.

'._..suspicious_.'

She narrows her eyes before pushing through the door into the kitchen. Immediately, she strolls over to the sink full of dishes. There's much more than usual. Actually, there must be more dishes in the sink than there are members of the Shadowmen.

And thats impressive.

She wonders, how much food does their allies eat a day? She never sees them eat at all besides in the evening at dinner, so she figures that they must sneak food.

She gently sets a plate into the sink and runs hot water from the faucet. Once the sink is full, she begins to set the other dishes into the sink as well. She shuts the faucet off and does not continue.

She stands perfectly still with her eyes closed. Her arms drop to her sides. She is listening.

There are two voices, both of them are male and the owners of the voices seem to be arguing. She cannot understand what is being said, so they must be farther than just a room away. ...Or they're outside.

Actually, she recognizes the voices.

The deeper voice belongs to Phinks, and the tired and strained voice belongs to Feitan.

Finding the spider's exact location would usually be a tricky task, but a sudden pound on the wall to her right gives it away.

She leaves the kitchen and heads straight past the hallway where Shalnark and Machi once stood.

It is impressive to slip by Lucius without her hearing.

* * *

"Fei, listen. It's fine. I'm just confused!"

"You not confused." Says Feitan. "You just _stupid._" The two are walking around the perimeter of the mansion. Feitan is behind Phinks who is strutting angrily in front of him. The blonde stops at a pillar and punches the brick wall of the mansion with his left fist.

"Okay, so I might be stupid. Who the hell cares?! She's an ally anyway!"

Feitan rubs his temples and squeezes his eyes shut. "They all not trustworthy! They can hurt the Troupe!" Replies Feitan. "She also a distraction."

Phinks huffs angrily and rests his head against the wall. "The boss said we're allies now and he trusts them!"

"You the one who tell me that you no like them!"

"I _don't_ like them!"

"You... k-kissed one of them!"

Words like "Kiss" or "Romance" are strange to Feitan, but the sight of Phinks hitting on women was nothing new. This is the first time, however, that Feitan has actually seen Phinks "physically interact" with a woman; and that may be a foreign sight, but Feitan wouldn't care if it was some other woman. Someone who was no threat to the Troupe.

But that isn't the case here. Besides, just a few weeks ago, Phinks was on his side!

"I'm... really confused, okay Fei? At first we were bitching at each other then I said something stupid and we laughed and joked and then..." Phinks sighs in frustration. "It just happened okay?"

Feitan doesn't reply. He just doesn't understand how something like that could "just happen."

"Augh. Look, Fei. I promise I will not let it affect the Troupe, okay?"

Feitan gives him a glare.

Phinks scoffs then smirks and says in a taunting voice: "Well, its not my fault that you've never been kissed by a pretty girl before."

Feitan growls. "Don't change subject."

Phinks grins. "You're just jealous that I kissed Rei before you could kiss L-"

"You kissed Rei?"

Phinks nearly jumps out of his skin. Once Feitan understands exactly what Phinks was about to say, he punches him. Hard. In the nose.

"AUGH!_ FUCK_!" Phinks holds his nose, blood spilling from in-between his fingers. Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't have hurt much, but this is Feitan we're talking about. Feitan made sure that it hurt like hell.

Lucius peeks out from behind Phinks, looking at Feitan curiously.

"Feitan, did he kiss Rei?"

Feitan thanks whatever holy being set him on the earth and doesn't reply. Fortunately, she did not hear or at least understand what Phinks was about to say.

Phinks groans a barely audible "No." Before turning to face her with blood running down his chin.

"You're lying." She says. "You kissed Rei."

"How the fuck would you know if I was lying?!" Phinks wipes his face with his sleeve. "That would be stupid."

"It is more stupid that you're trying to lie to me." She replies. "I was able to hear your conversation the moment I stepped outside. It was unavoidable."

"We were that loud?" Asks Phinks again.

"No." She says. "But I can assure you, no one else heard you. It is fine if you are interested in Rei, as long as I do not have to interfere."

Phinks has no idea what she means, but he decides its better to not ask at the moment.

As she is about to leave, she spins toward Feitan. "If you are interested in any more of the artwork in the cellar, you can always ask me their stories."

As she is walking away, Feitan gives her the finger.

"C'mon Fei, that was just childish."

Feitan wants to punch him again.

Also, why the hell is she acting all buddy-buddy with him?! Is she really that stupid?

Furious, he decides to do something about this girl. Before he can lose sight of her, Feitan charges full speed at Lucius. Once she hears his rapid steps from behind her, she moves her feet to turn around, but Feitan is much quicker. He grabs her by the shoulders and slams her against the brick wall.

She lets out a small gasp in surprise as he holds her thin arms behind her back. With tremendous force, he tries to bend her arms upwards. Feitan feels her body twitch upwards in attempt to tug away, and smiles. But before he can inflict any real pain onto her, Phinks yanks him away.

"What the hell is wrong with you?! Are you trying to piss the boss off?!" Phinks wraps his arm around his neck in a choke-hold, a method that Phinks has had to use more than once to calm Feitan. But usually, it was after a heated fight. He has never seen Feitan snap like this.

And Feitan is well aware that he could get out of the hold easily, but he knows that his temper has gotten out of hand. So, he doesn't struggle against it.

After a few minutes, Phinks releases him.

Feitan lowers his head, fists shaking at his sides. He hasn't felt so powerless before. He has never had to restrain himself like this before, it's not in his nature to chain his anger. He doesn't look at Lucius or Phinks, although he can feel their eyes on him.

After awhile of silence, Lucius speaks.

"I will not tell anyone of this." She looks at Phinks, then Feitan. "I am sorry that I angered you, Feitan." Now, she leaves the two in an awkward silence.

Feitan is practically shaking in fury. After everything he has done, she apologizes for something so stupid? To him? When has the last time someone apologized to him? Years, he's sure.

Phinks sighs.

"Let's flip a coin, then." Phinks says as he extends out a coin in his right palm towards him. He looks up.

"What you mean?"

Phinks shrugs. "Well... if you win, I'll stay the hell away from Rei."

Phinks looks into Feitan's eyes, his most sincere expression on his face. He's well aware that Feitan would never break the number one rule of the Troupe: Troupe members cannot engage in a serious fight.

Feitan considers it.

'_He have my warning. His fault if Shadowmen attack the Troupe._'

Feitan shakes his head and leaves Phinks alone in the cold.

* * *

"...Is that so? Why do you say that, Lucius?"

Chrollo snaps his book shut, looking at Lucius with soft eyes.

"Your people seem... Secretive and tense." She explains. "They do not trust us. And I do not trust people who refuse to trust me."

Chrollo looks at the girl curiously as she crosses her arms and closes her eyes. The way she asked to speak to him directly and her blunt honesty interested him, especially since the rest of the Shadowmen seemed to avoid him at all costs. He smiles and sets his book on the table.

"Well, it looks like we'll have to do something about that. Dont we?"

Lucius opens her eyes, but does not look at him.

"What do you think?"

He picks up his wine glass from the bar table and sips at it silently before answering her question.

"Lucius, how did you get that bruise on your hand?"

Lucius takes a quick glance at her hand and pulls up her dress sleeve, exposing a large, blue bruise spiraling up her arm.

"I am quite clumsy."

Chrollo can tell that she is lying through her teeth, but he must admit that she is a decent liar.

"Hm, well. I hope it will heal before we attack the Chain User." He spins on his stool to face her. "Argo told me that you have been to many dances a lot like the Debutante we will be attending. Is that true?"

"Yes." She replies, still refusing to look him in the eye. "But that was when I was a child."

"Ah, I see."

There is a moment of silence before Lucius finally looks at him. "Do not change the subject anymore. I came here to tell you that if you do not do something about your people, I will tell Argo that we will no longer help you."

Chrollo laughs. Its amusing how such a petite woman could change the sound of her voice to sound so threatening. But of course, Chrollo doesn't feel threatened at all.

"You are the second in command aren't you? I apologize. I promise that I will do something about it."

She stands from her stool. "I am much more than 'second in command," She says.

"Yes, you own this mansion; don't you?"

She bites her lip. He has her just where he wants her. Chrollo thinks that she is probably wondering how he knows this, and perhaps she's even a bit afraid.

"Argo told you...?"

This is the first time Chrollo has seen any sort of expression on the girl's face, and right now he sees confusion. But he knows that if he lies, she will be able to tell.

"No." He says. "I saw the top floor. A hallway full of portraits, and at the end of the hall, there was a large one. A man with his hand on your shoulder. My, you were so small. But I could tell it was you."

Lucius laughs. "I am relieved. I thought for a moment that Argo told you everything. But I am quite grateful to know that he can keep a secret."

And with that, she leaves.

Chrollo can honestly say, he did not expect that reaction at all. But, he also can't expect to break her so easily.

That is why he is here.

Because Argo's people are comparable to the Troupe in more than a few ways.


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey guys! I hope you all are having a very nice week!**

**In response to:**

**SilverSapphire34523: Yeah, it was a suprise to Feitan too cx**

**peachy: That question is answered here!**

**Rinrikapyon: Ikr cx You're the one who gave me the idea! I'm sure Lucius will make him sorry her own way c: I'm glad to hear that I'm good at keeping Feitan in character, as its something I feel like I struggle with. Thank you so much!**

* * *

Chapter 16

The smell of tobacco sweeps the room as Argo takes his place by Chrollo in the front of the lounge. Feitan, Phinks, Machi, Shalnark and Shizuku take up the larger table in the center of the room while the others sit at the bar and the booths by the far right wall.

Phinks, Feitan and Shalnark sit next to each other. The three are playing a simple card game, waiting for the meeting to begin.

"What do you think this is about?" Asks Shizuku to Shalnark, who is dealing the cards.

"That ball thing is only a few weeks away, I bet it has something to do with that."

After receiving and sorting his cards, Feitan joins the conversation.

"Maybe we have a snitch."

He glares at Lucius, who is sitting across the room with Ume, Kalluto and Rei at a booth.

Phinks shakes his head, sliding a card onto the wooden table.

"I think Shalnark is right. We haven't mentioned any kind of plan since we've gone into hiding."

Phinks receives a simple "Feh." From Feitan in response.

Phinks glances around the room, then at Chrollo. "Who are we waiting on, Boss?"

Chrollo looks up from his book. "Tadao." He answers. "He has a few things that will be of use to us."

"I do think that we may start without him." Says Argo, taking a drag from his cigarette. "I already gave him a brief summary."

Chrollo nods and stands from his chair. He clears his throat loudly, grabbing the group's attention easily.

"As you are all aware, there are just two weeks until the Debutante."

Shalnark flashes Feitan with a victorious grin.

"So, I believe that we should begin to understand how we can make use of our allies' abilities on the night of the ball, and how we will find and attack the Chain User."

Rei raises her hand.

"I would rather not demonstrate."

Feitan scoffs and Chrollo raises an eyebrow.

"And why is that?"

"Maybe because she not trustworthy..." Muses Feitan to Phinks.

Lucius raises her hand.

"There are certain conditions that must be met."

"And what are those conditions?" Chrollo asks.

"Rei cannot demonstrate without a body." Explains Lucius.

"Well, if someone were to volunteer or something for my demonstration, I'm sure I'd probably kill them. So I'd need to get outside too, to find some kind of animal." Adds Rei. "And little Lu here might damage some windows or something. Yeah, we wouldn't like that."

"And none of us will demonstrate until one of you have done so first." Finishes Lucius.

"Unacceptable!" Says Nobunaga, standing from his chair and slamming his fists onto the table. "For all we know, you could bring us to some secluded area, watch us show you what we've got, then use that information against us!"

"You could do the same." Says Rei. "But you dont see us all worked up about it!" Rei stands as well, looking Nobunaga in the eyes. Lucius tugs at the sleeves of Rei's shirt, pulling her back into her seat.

"Your name is Nobunaga, yes?" Asks Lucius, resting her hands on the table.

Nobunaga, despite his aggravation, nods.

"Nobunaga, I believe that if the four of us were to attack you, you would take us out easily." She looks up at the ceiling. "It would be stupid to attack you. You easily outnumber us."

Feitan notices that Nobunaga seems much calmer now. Frustrated, but calmer.

How?

How did she do that?

Machi speaks up now.

"Is it really necessary to have a body with you in order to demonstrate your abilities?"

"Ah, yeah. I cant do much without one." Rei answers. "But as long as the blood is fresh and the certain conditions are met, It all works out."

"Well, there are certain things we cannot demonstrate as well. Such as, Feitan's Pain Packer." Says Chrollo. "But all we need is to _understand_ each other's abilities. A simple demonstration with an animal is enough."

Rei nods. Lucius stands.

"I will get Tadao. He is probably having trouble."

Feitan watches as Lucius trots out of the lounge. He wonders, Why does she seem so honest all the time? He knows that she cant be as good as she makes herself out to seem. If her group is comparable with the Troupe in any way, then how is it that she seems so...

What is the word?

How can he describe it?'

She's polite, yet she murdered a man and he has seen the body. She's honest, but she is a thief.

She's not trustworthy.

He continues the card game by placing an ace of spades onto the table, grabbing Shalnark's attention, but not Phinks's. No, he is too busy staring at Rei, as if in a trance.

'Pathetic.'

Feitan swears, he'll never let a woman captivate him like that.

* * *

Feitan inhales the cold air.

He is sitting on a large, rectangular grave.

He still really doens't understand why Chrollo and Argo chose to venture out as far as the cemetery. There is less open space here than the lawn surrounding the mansion, but Feitan doesn't complain.

He figures someone will figure out how to make use of the graves in their demonstration anyway.

Phinks and Shalnark are standing next to him, talking. He's not listening to them because he's distracted by something else.

In the distance he can see Tadao and Lucius making their way slowly towards the rest of the group. Tadao is carrying a large, black backpack on his back while Lucius is carrying two other small bags and a large, silver case lined with purple velvet.

Once they get closer, they drop their bags onto a tombstone. Lucius is still carrying the case, however.

Feitan assumes that it is to keep whatever is inside the bags from getting wet.

Feitan grabs his umbrella (which he had nabbed before they left the mansion) and walks with Phinks and Shalnark to where the others are.

Chrollo resumes the meeting.

"Well, let's start with volunteers."

Nobody from either the Troupe or the Shadowmen speaks up.

"Tch."

Feitan raises his hand.

* * *

The others say nothing, and the Troupe steps back.

Lucius does the same, but Rei and Tadao stay in place.

"So?" Asks Feitan, popping the umbrella in his hands open in front of him. His eyes glare at them from under his bangs. "Which one of you my target?"

"Neither." Says Tadao.

Rei retrieves one of the larger bags and pours the contents out onto the ground

Long, wooden logs. Firewood, that they used in the tea rooms.

Tadao holds one of the logs out in front of Feitan. "We'll test your skills with these. First we'll test stamina and reaction time. So, demonstrate for us your skills as a swordsman and your reflexes."

Feitan nods.

Rei nods at Tadao and tosses him the log in her right hand before the two turn and walk away from him.

Lucius recognizes this test, and she thinks it is too much of a simple task for Feitan. She has witnessed his speed and strength first-hand, and she believes he is far too advanced for a simple test such as this.

While Lucius watches from behind Franklin, Feitan readies himself.

All the way at the end of the cemetery, Tadao sprays the substance inside the spray bottle onto one of the logs. Then, he throws up the log.

Rei quickly sticks out the lighter, setting the log on fire before Tadao swings his right foot at it.

Lucius goes over the process in her head.

Gasoline in a bottle. Spray the log. Light the log. Kick.

She watches the log dart at Feitan.

She blinks.

Feitan reacted so quickly that she barely even saw him move. The flaming log is just burnt chunks in the snow.

No, she did not expect any less.

Rei and Tadao send another flaming log his way.

Again, he moves too quickly for the naked eye to see.

This time, the flaming log is pierced by the tip of his sword in the middle, causing it to split in half.

Lucius notices that Feitan looks quite bored as the two Shadowmen shoot log after log at him with the same outcome. So, she decides to change things up a bit herself.

The second Tadao and Rei prepare to send another log his way, she closes her eyes, searching for a sound. The first thing she hears is Shalnark's voice from behind her. She opens her eyes and raises her arms up to her sides. The second they send the log, she pulls the vibrations, causing the log to shoot up and over Feitan's head and creating a rush of sound.

The log falls behind Feitan, but he slices back behind him; piercing it before it hits the ground without even turning around.

Feitan turns and raises an eyebrow at her. He says nothing and walks past her.

Amused, Lucius smiles.

* * *

Rei stands out in front of the group now, holding a dead squirrel by its tail. She holds it up, making sure everyone sees it.

"Watch closely."

She waves her hand in front of it, Nen surging from her fingertips. Before continuing, she rips the necklace around her neck off. On the necklace is a vile filled with red liquid, which she squeezes into the squirrel's gaping mouth. Once again, she waves her hand, pulsating with Nen, over the animal's body.

She drops it, making a soft thud as it hits the snow.

Nothing seems to happen at first, but suddenly what appears to be smoke emerges from the holes and wounds in the animals body.

And just like that, the squirrel is reduced to nothing but a pile of fur, goop and bones.

"That's... What even is that?" Asks Nobunaga. Rei laughs.

"I can turn blood into acid with my blood and Nen."

"That's a... strange transmutation..."

"Yeah, but so is creating a fucking mini sun." Says Rei, shrugging at Feitan.

Feitan's head shoots up.

Just how the hell did she know that?

Lucius stands from behind him and steps out into the snow next to Rei, silver case in hand.

"It is safe to have a volunteer. Since we are only demonstrating a single ability of ours at the moment, I chose one that is relatively peaceful as long as it is controlled."

"What do you mean controlled?" Asks Franklin.

"Yes." pipes Kortopi from beside Machi. "That sounds suspicious."

"Oh." Lucius kneels in the snow, her white tights becoming transparent around the knee from the wet snow. She pulls out a dark brown, polished violin. "Perhaps I should re-phrase it, then." She lifts the violin, tucking it under her chin. "It is peaceful as long as I am in my right mind."

"No, no. We know all about your weird music." Adds Phinks, crossing his arms.

Feitan grimaces underneath his collar, ready to put her down if she makes the wrong move.

But, he doesn't get the chance to. Chrollo, obviously seeing no threat, stands from his seat on the bench.

"Use me." He says.

Feitan takes a silent deep breath.

'_If chief trust her, we trust her_.'

The group moves away from the bench, where Chrollo takes his spot once again. All is quiet as Lucius brings the bow up to the violin's strings. Gently, she glides the bow's hairs across them, but no sound can be heard by the rest of the Troupe.

Feitan is sure that she is doing something. In the air, he feels an uneasyness that he cannot quite describe himself, as if the air around him is getting heavier.

'_but Boss seem... relaxed..._'

Chrollo sits with his hands placed on his book with a placid look on his face. his eyes are half open, but soon they are completely closed.

Feitan looks at Lucius now.

The only thing that could describe her face right now is emotion. Feitan isn't sure what she's feeling, but it is definitely more than she shows normally. Her eyes are closed as well, but Feitan is certain that Chrollo has fallen asleep. Lucius continues to play, no sound emitting from the violin at all with her eyebrows arched upwards and her lips pursed together.

Seeing Lucius display emotion and Chrollo fall asleep to the sound of nothing isn't quite an interesting sight, but Feitan finds that he cannot look away.

Eventually, with a long drag of her bow on the violin's strings, Lucius's "song" ends.

Immediately, Chrollo's eyes open and Lucius's expression goes impassive.

Phinks just crosses his arms.

"I don't get it."

"I put him to sleep with my song." She explains. "There are more Nen users who use this technique to calm people. But I use it differently."

"What song?!" Exclaims Phinks. "I didn't hear shit!"

"Of course you didn't. If I am trying to make someone fall asleep, it takes much more than bending of vibrations." She explains. "I must focus entirely on the person I want to fall asleep, and they'll wake up once the song has ended. I find it useful to get past people without causing a commotion."

"That would be useful at the ball..." Says Machi quietly.

Feitan closes his eyes.

'_dammit Machi! Dont give girl praise!_'

And so, the cycle of demonstrations continue, and everyone seems to have forgotten about Lucius's ability after watching the next demonstrations.

Everyone but Feitan.

* * *

"How was it?" Asks Argo to Chrollo.

The two are watching as their groups return to the mansion. It is late in the evening. Unexpectedly, the demonstrations took much longer than they had expected, so planning the attack on the Chain User has been rescheduled for morning.

"It was the most relaxing thing I have ever felt. Someone could get addicted to that feeling."

"Well it's not as if people haven't gotten addicted to Lucius before."

Argo laughs.

* * *

**So, how was it? **


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey guys, sorry for the wait. I have a lot going on so I think I may be updating weekly from now on because I have a project going on in school and I have cosplays to work on, I hope that doesn't bother you guys too much. **

**In response to:**

**Rinrikapyon****: Don't worry, there will be plenty ReiXPhinks moments as well! Hah, Feitan has some real shit coming ;) I'm happy you were shipping them, now that gives me a much broader canvas to work on lol**

**SilverSapphire34523:**** Everything about the plan is in this chapter, thats why its kinda short.**

**peachy: I was about to say "So do I!" But then I realized that didn't make much sense lmao.**

* * *

Chapter 17

Feitan is getting sick of these rude awakenings.

_POUND-POUND-POUND!_

And with each hour of sleep he loses,

_POUND-POUND-POUND!_

It builds to his general frustration.

And he cant do anything about it.

"Feitan! Get your ass out here! We're all waiting on you!"

Feitan groans and spreads his body under the covers. stretching until his hands and legs sweep the entire bed. He lays there and stares at the ceiling, listening to Phinks pound at his door.

Irritated, Phinks pounds harder.

Feitan yawns and slowly lifts the top half of his body up off of the bed then tugs the rest of his tired body as well, swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

If only he could leave this damn place and disappear for a few days like he usually does when he feels so...

_POUND-POUND-POUND!_

Troubled.

Feitan pushes his bangs away from his face before standing up, not bothering to put on any clothing. He walks towards the door, listening to Phinks grumble on the other side before opening it.

Upon seeing him, Phinks looks at him in disgust.

" Uhg, Just... get dressed and join the rest of us downstairs."

With that, Phinks turns and leaves. And before Feitan follows, he gets dressed and grabs his Trevor Brown art book.

* * *

"We only have one invitation, how are we _all_ going to get into the ball?" Asks Nobunaga, who seems quite bored at the end of the dining room table.

"I think thats where Lu and her violin will come into play." Replies Tadao, who is all the way at the other side of the table. "Neon Nostrade doesn't need the invitation to get into the ball, but if we want to get in at all, we're going to have to get there first."

"Why is that?" Asks Shizuku, who is next to him.

"Famous people get into those things for free with a little identification." Explains Tadao. "And they wont let us in if Neon is already there."

"That doesn't make sense." Replies Franklin, the only individual who doesn't fit at the dining table with the others. "If they already know that there is another Neon Nostrade already in the building, won't they deny her?"

Tadao shakes his head. "No. I researched online and there are not strict rules when it comes to these things. The companies who host these Debutantes are in it for the money. But, they want to make the rich families who pay to have a Debutante think that they are in charge so they can be paid at full price for their food, ballroom, orchestra et cetera. So, the families are only asked that all upper class individuals and their body guards are accepted into the ball along with the invited individuals." Tadao explains. "So to avoid conflict, all invited persons are recorded and all individuals at the ball are given a wristband with their names on it. Any individual found at the ball without a wristband or found with a stolen wristband is taken care of by security."

"That could prove to be slightly problematic if these wristbands are fused with Nen." Adds Chrollo.

"I'd imagine they couldn't do much about what we're going to do." Says Rei, crossing her legs.

"It's not like its more difficult than the Troupe has ever done before." Shalnark assures her with a smile. "Besides, any low life with a stolen wristband could get by just by avoiding the authorities."

"So, what then?" Asks Rei.

"I think we should arrive as soon as possible, then," Machi says. She points at Lucius, who is reading a book in her lap. "She should use the invitation to get past the first guard, then put him to sleep so the rest of us can get past."

"But then we would all need wristbands." Says Shizuku.

"Good point."

"Then once we're past the first guard, we'll find a safe place to wait while she's being checked for weapons. When the next bunch of people who enter, we'll nab their wristbands. Shizuku will suck up the bodies." Says Nobunaga, staring at his reflection in the glossy, wood table.

Lucius raises her hand, setting her book on the table. "That would take a considerable amount of time."

"Yeah." Says Rei. "So let's speed up that process. What if a few of us posed as Lucius's body guards?"

"Excellent idea, Rei." Argo praises, folding his arms behind his back. "Who do you suggest?"

Rei rubs her chin. "Me, Phinks..." She hums to herself, then looks at Feitan with a mischievous grin. "Fei-chan."

Feitan looks back at her with a still, blank, unamused face. "Do not ever call me that again."

She looks at Lucius and they both laugh a little. Feitan's eye twitches in annoyance as he yanks his collar over his face to hide his grimace.

Out of all people to play the role of Lucius's body guard, it happens to be the one person who dislikes her the most.

He glares at Rei, then takes a deep breath, pulling his art book from his pocket. Since he cant take out his frustration, he decides to calm himself this way.

He doesn't stop listening to the group's planning, of course.

"From there on out, everyone other than Lucius and her body guards will take out security one-by-one. Then, we'll search for the Chain User."

Oh, so he's just a body guard now?

He stares at the image in his book. Its a sort of bondage piece, a bruised girl with a black eye and cuts all over her body, nude and suspended in the air by thick ropes. Now, Feitan knows that some person in this world finds this sexually arousing, but Feitan only finds it pleasing in a different way. its more of his aesthetic to see people scared and in pain.

It comforts him.

"And what will I do if someone finds out that I am not Neon Nostrade?" Asks Lucius. Feitan looks up at her.

"We kill them."

Lucius smiles, as if she is challenging him. "And what do _we_ do if _we_ are caught doing that?"

"We take down the whole place." He replies again, accepting whatever she is challenging.

"And that wont happen as long as we dont make a fuss about it." Shalnark adds.

"What if its the Chain User who notices that she is the Neon-imposter?" Asks Machi, looking at Chrollo this time for an answer.

"Well..." He starts, closing his eyes. "I suppose that would be our cue to attack."

Feitan's attention returns to his book. He flips the page. The thought of the attack is beginning to excite him, and its only a few weeks away. It drowns out the frustration with adrenaline.

An image of a girl splitting her stomach open with a katana, allowing her organs and intestines and blood to spill onto a white floor.

He exhales with a shaky breath.

deciding that is enough, he closes the book and hangs his head, staring at the cover. Out of the corner of his eye, he can see Tadao throw a shiny object to Lucius. With both hands, she catches it above her head.

Feitan looks up to see what is going on.

A normal, silver, dog whistle.

"And just what is she going to do with that?" Asks Phinks, leaning forward in his seat. "It's just a dog whistle."

"Lu." Tadao motions to his mouth. Lucius nods and sets the whistle in her mouth. She crosses both her arms across her chest. Tadao holds his ears, and upon seeing that, Phinks, Rei, Feitan and Argo do the same. The rest of the group does not.

She blows into the whistle.

Feitan can feel the air around him vibrating. Nobunaga falls from his chair and the rest of the Troupe seems just as disturbed. All but Chrollo cringe at the sound of the high pitched screech coming from the whistle. it even causes a few empty glasses to shatter. Kalluto, who didn't get the chance to cover his eats at all, even faints.

Feitan watches as blood trickles down Lucius's neck from her ear, but she doesn't seem bothered by it.

Then, the sound stops. Feitan's body is left tingling.

Relieved, the group lowers their hands from their ears.

Lucius spits the whistle out into her hand, then sets it down onto the table.

"If I find the Chain User, that is how I will warn you."

This even reminds Feitan of another, and just after Chrollo and Argo dismisses them, he follows Lucius up the stairs to the bedrooms. Before she enters her own room, Feitan grabs her wrist.

"Show me what else you can do." He demands, his grip tightening.

She turns. "What do you mean?"

"How you killed man at bar." He says. "Show me what you did."

"I can not show you that without doing harm." She replies. "But I can show you other things."

Feitan looks her in the eye, not loosening his grip. "Like what?"

"If you want to know, you'll have to play a game with me. And win."

"Tch." Feitan scoffs in annoyance.

'_Hopefully it not another game of tennis._'


	18. Chapter 18

**Hey guys, sorry for the wait. I've been dealing with a lot lately, I have a lot of personal and school projects going on. Including my Shizuku and Maka albarn cosplay SOOOOOO I decided to make this chapter a bit fluffier than my others to compensate for my lateness. Its also pretty short, forgive me ;A;**

**Rinrikapyon: Hah, I had fun writing that. I almost thought no one would realize it lmao cx I'm excited for you to read this chapter although it is short**

**SilverSapphire34523: sooner than you think!**

* * *

Chapter 18

Lucius didn't bother to offer him any explanation before dumping him in this room. He is sitting quietly on a tan couch, staring at his reflection in the T.V. sitting on a coffee table across from him. It has been fifteen minutes that he has spent alone, which gave him enough time to scan the room entirely.

Strangely, this room is more modern than the rest of the home. Its not a large room, but it has space to fit about five people. Behind the couch is a window which is as large as the entire wall, and it looks out to the courtyard. Instead of a chandelier hanging above his head, there is a glass sunroof. Nothing in the room seems to match at all, and besides the couch and television, the room is quite bare.

Feitan looks away from his reflection when the door to the room swings open. Lucius closes it behind her with her foot, and she struggles a bit to do so without dropping the contents in her hands. She is carrying a tote in one hand and a game station that he hasn't seen before in the other.

He smirks.

"You already lost, girl." He says to her as she sets the video games and game station on the ground next to her while kneeling next to the T.V. She looks back at him as she plugs cords into an outlet under the table, but she says nothing. While still looking at him with a blank expression, she reaches into the tote and tosses him a wireless controller.

He catches it with his right hand and examines it. Its not like any other controller he has seen before, for sure. He flips it over into his other hand, expecting to see some sort of small print of a logo that he might recognize, but he finds nothing.

Feitan considers himself an expert when it comes to gaming, and he has played the rarest and most obscure games in the entire world, but he has never in his entire life seen a game station like this.

Oblivious to Feitan's confusion, Lucius sits next to him with a controller identical to his and pushes the center button. The T.V. flashes on. Text appears on the screen with two options available beneath it. He can't understand any of it, of course, but he can tell that it is written in a different language. After she selects one of the options, she reaches over his lap and presses a button on his controller, holding it down for a few moments before releasing it.

An introduction screen pops up in bright pink, bubbly letters with a small, happy looking cartoon of a robot being assembled beneath it. She presses the center button again.

"What is this?" He asks as she runs through a few extra options in the game. She nudges him with her elbow and motions for him to look at the screen.

Its a tutorial sequence.

Feitan has no idea what is going on on the screen until an image of a few notes and a music sheet appears assigned with the A,B,Y,X and Z button.

Its a rhythm game.

After completing the tutorial, there is a cutscene with the small robot from the introduction screen. While this is happening, she turns to him.

"You are familiar with rhythm games?"

He nods, smile fading from his face. This could actually prove to be a challenge.

"I am sure the difficulty setting does not matter to you, then."

* * *

Phinks closes the kitchen door behind him, looking down the hallway in each direction before walking out into the candle light. Uncomfortably, he sets towards the staircase leading to the bedrooms.

despite the broad daylight, the mansion halls are still dim. But this isn't his problem.

His problem is directly behind him.

"Yo, Phinks."

Phinks stops in his tracks and turns to face Shalnark and Machi, who both give him a judgmental stare.

"Yo." He greets, bringing his arm behind his head and scratching his hair. "What's up?"

Machi smiles at Shalnark, who chuckles.

"You didn't think you would be able to get away from that, did you?" He asks, leaning up against the wall.

Phinks sighs and closes his eyes.

They saw.

Phinks frowns, bearing his teeth in annoyance. "No, but I thought I would be able to avoid you a little longer..."

Machi crosses her arms, a smile on her face as well. "Well, does the Boss know about this?"

Phinks shakes his head. "Only you guys, Lucius and Feitan know."

"Well if you wanted to avoid us finding out, it would have been better if you guys made out in a room or something." Machi says, causing Shalnark to burst into a fit of laughter.

Phinks's eye twitches. He doesn't reply.

Why would he? What could he say to justify his actions?

Nothing.

And he doesn't regret his actions, either.

"So, when's the wedding?" Asks Shalnark in between chuckles. Machi, deciding Phinks has had enough teasing, elbows Shalnark in his side.

"No, really. How long has this been going on for? You don't really trust them, do you?" She questions, stepping closer to him.

"Augh I dont fucking know!" Phinks grabs and pulls at his hair, squeezing his eyes shut tight. "I don't know, I'm confused okay?"

Machi puts her hand on his sholder, not quite in a comforting way, but in a way that grabs his attention. "Its fine." She says. "Just tell us if you trust her."

Phinks looks at the ground, thinking hard. His conflicting feelings made this a difficult question to answer.

He thinks about her.

Her touch. It is different than anyone else's. Different than he's used to.

Her laugh is addicting. He thinks she's funny as hell, but also annoying as hell.

She just showed up. And the last thing he remembers is his lips pressed against hers and her arms around his neck. Almost like he was drunk the entire time.

Then he remembers what she said to him.

_"I haven't done that to anyone else, you know."_

Phinks looks up at his comrades, looking them both in the eyes.

"Yes." He replies. "I trust her."

Shalnark smiles at him, and turns as if he was defeated in a way. "You should probably tell The Boss, then." He says, waving him off. "He'll be happy to hear it."

Machi moves her hand from his shoulder and says nothing to him before following Shalnark into the kitchen.

He watches them leave, unsure what to think.

* * *

Lucius watches him struggle.

She admits to herself that his skills are quite impressive for someone who has never even played the game before, and once he finishes the song he is only ten points away from her perfect score. He curses out loud and squeezes his controller, hiding his angered expression with his collar. "Play again." He demands for the fourth time, tossing her the controller without even giving her a glance.

She laughs, catching Feitan's attention.

"What so funny?"

She sets the controller in her hand beside her and lifts her feet onto the couch, somewhat using her dress as a blanket. "How are you going to beat a perfect score? Do you realize that it is impossible?"

He growls in response.

She holds the center button on the controller down, turning off the game. She rests her head on her knees and closes her eyes.

She looks so comfortable sitting next to him.

He furrows his brow.

"I _kill_ people." He says, glaring at her.

"So do I." She replies.

"I _torture_ people."

"In a way, so do I."

He stands, aggravation once again getting the best of him.

"I no like you! I kill you when this all over! I torture you! Apology get you nowhere!" He climbs onto the couch and over her, pushing her down with his right arm. With his left arm, he pulls down his collar to reveal his grimace. "I bite your skin off when this all over."

"Have you realized that I have never fought against you?" She asks, allowing him to force her into a laying position.

"It because you stupid." He says, increasing his force.

"No." She says. " It is because we are comrades now. We both serve the same purpose here." She explains. "Sooner or later you will give into the fact that you will never be able to hurt me."

He lowers his head and closes his eyes, not looking at her. He is shaking in rage. After a few minutes of saying nothing, he releases his grip on her. He stands on the couch over her then jumps off, turning his back to her.

"Why you apologize to someone like me...?"

She sits up.

"We are comrades now." She repeats. "I see no point in hating an ally."

He moves to the door and grabs at the handle aggressively.

She moves quickly behind him and tugs at the back of his cloak.

"I can still show you what you wanted to see."

He looks down at the floor again.

"Truth be told," She says, letting go of his cloak. "I just wanted to play a game with someone."

* * *

Back in Lucius's room, Feitan sits at the table he sat at once before, fiddling with one of her dolls that he picked from her shelf above her bed. She didn't bother to stop him while she watched him pick the doll apart limb by limb. She stands above him, violin in hand, watching curiously. She notices that he seems much calmer now.

She pulls the chair from the small rectangle table and sits across from him. She lifts the violin up under her chin and waits until she has his attention.

"I am capable of more than manipulating emotions." She explains. "I can put people to sleep, for example."

"How you use it to hurt people?" He asks, still holding the doll's arm in-between his index finger and thumb.

"I intensify the vibrations and give them a bigger physical, invisible, blade-like form, but that is the one thing I cannot show you." She cocks her head a bit. "What would you like me to demonstrate?"

"Emotion." He replies, tossing the doll arm into a pile of the rest of the doll's limbs.

"I can make people happy, sad, angry or frightened. But I have noticed that such simple tricks do not work on you." She says. "I have tried."

He narrows his eyes, a smirk appearing from under his collar. "That's no fun."

"I agree. However, I have not tried to scare you."

He gives her a challenging look while leaning in closer to her.

"_Scare me_."


	19. Chapter 19

**Hey guys! I'm back. This Chapter is super important and I just couldn't figure out how to display it all but, hey! I got it down. **

**In response to:**

**Rinrikapyon: I'm so glad I finally have other things to do lmao. Thank you so so much! **

**SilverSapphire34523: You know, me too! I really wonder how Feitan would really react when he is afraid. assuming he could ever feel fear at all.**

**DustyTypewriter: Oh my! thank you so much! That compliment really means a lot, I'm constantly worrying that my work is unrealistic and that the characters are OOC. Thank you so much!**

* * *

Chapter 19

She simply glides the bow against the violin's strings and first plays a simple, low tune. Feitan, who is studying her every movement closely, notices that she hasn't even unleashed her Nen yet and he wonders if this is some sort of preparation or if she is just hiding it from him.

'_Or maybe... She already tried._' He thinks. '_But it no work_.'

After all, she did mention that her abilities did not quite work on him.

The girl's lips slightly part as the tune becomes more complicated along with her emotion. The air around them becomes heavy. Then, he sees it.

Her Nen.

Its weight, much heavier than any other's, focused completely on him. It engulfs him, causing him to be shoved backwards suddenly in his chair. Its color is not different from any normal person's Nen. However, Feitan is skilled enough to tell that it is unique.

Halfway through her song, intensity builds. Now, he can feel the air vibrate against his skin like a thousand tiny needles poking him gently.

This makes him feel threatened, but not afraid.

He hardens his stare at her.

Both eyebrows arched upwards, her eyes flutter open once in awhile as if she is checking on him.

The second he notices how vulnerable she is in this moment, he is rushed with a gust of insane pleasure lead by her music. His heart beats much faster and his eyes begin to water as a grin spreads across his face.

The music has finally reached its climax.

Although Lucius is just playing a violin, Feitan swears that he hears some sort of beat that matches the sound of his racing heart. It excites him, and sends a voltage of adrenaline throughout his veins.

In his head, he even hears a chorus.

It is an entire symphony strung together just by the strings of a violin.

And it has blessed him with a feeling that he is all too familiar with.

Murderous pleasure.

The only feeling he knows how to enjoy.

* * *

"You're... really not bothered by it?"

Chrollo shakes his head. "No. In fact, I am quite pleased."

Phinks stands on the other side of the tea room, where he found his leader sitting on a windowsill, reading.

He is stunned.

Happy, confused, and stunned.

"You... don't think she's a distraction...?"

Chrollo chuckles. "Is that what Feitan told you?"

"Yeah..." Phinks confesses sheepishly. "Something like that."

"Allow me to clarify, Phinks..." Says Chrollo as he moves in his position to face him. "You are allowed a life outside of the Troupe with no limitations. All the Troupe really expects from you is your undying loyalty." He explains. "Since she is our ally, I cannot doubt your loyalty."

"I know that." Says Phinks. "But Feitan was mainly concerned that they would attack us and take advantage of our trust in them." He sits on the couch in the middle of the room. "He thinks she's untrustworthy. And I don't blame him, because I thought so at first too."

"There has been a lot of tension between us and the shadowmen ever since we got here. I think maybe the relationship you have with Rei could change that. A Romeo and Juliet tactic, if you will." Chrollo says. "Even if that theory is wrong, there will be no back-stabbing here."

Phinks looks down at his lap and does not reply.

It's true. In actuality, Phinks could date whoever he wanted (assuming he was interested). But of course, he just had to fall for someone that the Troupe will only tolerate until the end of their mission. And after that, he is likely to never see her again.

He sighs.

'_So she's only a temporary problem..._'

Phinks stands and shoves his hands into the pockets of his track-coat and turns his back to his leader.

"Thanks, Boss."

He exits the room, leaving Chrollo to himself.

He stretches his arms and rests his hands behind his head, yawning.

Ever since that kiss, he's been nothing but stressed and confused. Rei, too, has been giving him mixed signals.

But he just cant bring himself to turn her down. Never. Not even in the halls when their conversations took a turn. No matter how much his thoughts contradict his actions. And he sure Chrollo understands that after he caught them in the act in the hallway.

He feels a presence from behind him. Immediately, he knows who it is.

"So...? W-What did he say?"

Despite her cool composition, Phinks has noticed how easily she succumbs to nervousness around him.

Only around him, and only after the kiss.

He turns and smiles.

"You look anxious. Scared you'd lose me, _Juliet?_"

A deep crush creeps onto her cheeks under her freckles. She laughs. Playfully, she punches his shoulder

"You're an asshole."

He laughs. "He thinks our relationship can make the Troupe trust you guys."

The two stop laughing and smiling just after realizing just what Phinks had actually said.

It has only been a few days since their first kiss. After that, they've met up every few hours to talk and tease each other and sometimes they'd kiss again.

And after only that, are they really in a 'relationship' ?

"Listen, I don't even know what's going on anymore." Rei says, averting her eyes from him.

Phinks looks at the ground.

The two stand in silence until she speaks again.

She clears her throat.

"If you don't want anything to do with me because I'm a... '_distraction_', or what ever that little guy said... that's fine." She says, blush deepening. "But... 'relationship' is a sort of weird status to be at right now. I don't know much about you..."

Oh, now she's rejecting him?

"So..." She continues, inhaling with shaky breath. "Let's just do it for your people for now..."

He looks up.

"What do you mean?" He asks. "To build trust?"

She nods.

"And if we don't like it, or it becomes too weird, we don't have to see each other again after this is all over."

Now she's asking him out?

He thinks hard on the subject, causing another awkward silence to fall in between the two.

'_Well if it's for the Troupe... It can't be the wrong choice_.'

"Deal."

* * *

It is in this moment that Lucius realizes that Feitan is fearless.

She checks on him again to see if he possibly passed out, but instead she is met with his cold grey eyes staring back at her. She can tell that from under his collar, he is grinning.

Surprised, she lowers the violin from her chin, cutting the song short.

Could he perhaps be enjoying her music...?

'_Strange._'

Lucius picked this particular song on purpose. It is the same song that she has used to torture men thirteen times her own size. Men who claimed to be strong and intelligent. Men who were just that. Men.

And they all suffered the same way. All from a little fear.

'_But it seems impossible to torture the torturer_.'

"...I almost expected this." She admits.

He doesn't break his stare.

He doesn't even blink, but his expression does return to normal.

"What was that?" He asks quietly, voice hoarse from strain.

"I assume you must feel..." She searches for the right word. "...Refreshed."

Yes, only a few men could endure this easily. And all of those men had the same trait.

"Not fear." He replies, his expression hardening.

"Because you can't feel fear." She says, setting her violin on the table gently. "Because you walk with fear daily. Because you are someone's fear."

Lucius watches as he averts his gaze to the tabletop.

She somewhat wishes she knew what the man across from her is thinking. To her, he is an enigma.

"Can I ask why you are so curious, Feitan?"

She has wondered this for awhile now.

She only took interest in him because he was able to resist all her other manipulations, but the reasoning behind his interest in her remains a mystery.

He doesn't reply. He only watches her reflection on the tabletop.

"It does not work on you the way I intended it to." She says. "Why would that interest you?"

"That not it." He admits.

* * *

But that is not the whole truth. Feitan knows that, but he could never admit that the feeling her music gave him was the most amazing thing he has ever experienced.

It is true that he gets the same feeling after he kills, but it has never lasted so long or felt so intense, even after Pain Packer.

But at first, his main motive was to learn her abilities in order to use the information he gained against her when the mission was over.

But he never expected this. And frankly, he doesn't know how to react.

So, after a long, awkward silence, he changes the subject to avoid further questioning.

"What you need fear for?"

"Hm?" She looks up from her reflection in the tabletop, looking at him blankly as if she was in deep thought.

"What you need fear for?" He repeats.

At first, she seems to not understand his question. Then, she nods in realization.

"To get information out of people." She stares back at her blurry mirror image. "But it is psychological, as you'd expect."

"Like torture."

She nods.

"Only people with no fear and power strong enough to dominate an entire city are capable of resisting it."

He says nothing.

Was that the truth? Or a compliment?

Both?

Why?

She looks up at him again. "Was that the reasoning behind your interest?"

Feitan nods in agreement, unsure what else to say.

"You didn't expect it did you?" She asks him. "For us to be so similar."

* * *

**So, there you have it folks! Thanks for reading!**


	20. Chapter 20

**No time to talk guys, I got a lot to do. So I'll respond to you guys then I promise I'll leave you alone!**

**In response to:**

**SilverSapphire34523: I just love all the bunnies you give me cx I hope to have more development with Feitan and Lucius in the next few chapters!**

**Rinrikapyon: I really see ReiPhinks as the fluffy kind of relationship too cx Thank you for the nice compliment!**

**Guest: I actually haven't read RedVoid's fic, but I have read the fic that their story is based off of. I promise, I wouldn't steal another fanfiction author's ideas without crediting them. I know how it feels to have my own work stolen from me, and it doesn't feel very good. Actually, Melody is a big part of the future chapters, and a big part of Lucius as well. In fact, I based Lucius off of her, but only a little. I hope you have a nice day!**

**CarzyCickHAHA: I fucking love you.**

**Chiikaboom : Again, I cant thank you enough**

**DustyTypewriter: Thank you so so so much! Seriously, I feel like I don't deserve so much praise. And I feel you on that, I dislike those types of fics as well. Oh gosh I just cant thank you enough. *bows to you***

* * *

Chapter 20

Phinks hates the feeling of embarrassment, and that's all he can feel right now.

Shalnark nearly spits out a chunk of sausage. He and Nobunaga had the same reaction. The two spiders are cackling hysterically, holding their mouths in effort to hide their amusement.

The entire group has looked up from their breakfast by now.

Phinks notices that Chrollo and Argo (who are sitting at each end of the table as per usual) and do not seem at all surprised. Instead, they smile at him and continue eating.

Rei snuggles into his shoulder and repeats her question.

"Are you done eating, honey?" She says this and looks up at him with her warm, brown eyes. Something that actually usually comforts him. But now, he's just a bit enraged.

Shalnark, Nobunaga and Tadao break out into a fit of laughter.

Phinks, struck with disbelief, looks to his left where even Feitan was chuckling at him, mocking him with just his eyes.

The only four people at the table who are not laughing at him are Machi, Lucius, Kalluto and Shizuku. Matchi and Lucius are just watching him with unreadable stares, while Kalluto and Shizuku just seem really confused.

He refuses to look any of them in the eye.

He doesn't know what to do.

He knew she was going to do something. She told him she would. But what the hell should he do now?!

"Um… Y-yeah.."

He hangs his head in shame.

He can't just reject it either. He needs to do this.

He needs to accept this.

'_It's all for the Troupe._' He tells himself. '_It's all for the Boss.'_

But even still, he can't shake this heavy feeling in his gut.

He feels pathetic.

Rei, who isn't even bothered by the situation at all, takes his empty plate and walks from the dining room into the kitchen. Phinks is left at the table to deal with it all alone.

He decides that for now, he'll ignore the group's teasing and take a walk outside. Being alone may be the only acceptable thing that could calm him right now.

So, he stands from his chair, suppressing his aggression.

The room returns to its usual silent state after he leaves.

* * *

Feitan doesn't want to eat.

He's pre-occupied.

_"We are quite similar."_

He twitches.

He can feel her watching him. But the moment he lifts his head from his plate in order to catch her in the act, her gaze returns back to her own plate of hashbrowns.

Fed up with it, he stands from his seat as well. He leaves his untouched food on the table. Besides, if he gets hungry, he'll just raid the fridge later.

Instead of heading upstairs to his bedroom, he continues towards the end of the hallway where a familiar painting sits on the farthest wall.

After examination, Feitan concludes that it is not the same painting as before.

He squints and steps closer to the painting.

Yes, it is an entirely different painting, but it is similar to the other one.

The girl, who had been clinging to the cliff, fell. The large, monstrous spider above her had flung itself out of the tree, piercing through the girl's fragile torso in midair. The girl was still alive and looked into all of the creature's eyes… and smiled.

After enjoying this art, feitan turns and kneels. He tosses the long carpet aside and tugs the trapdoor open. Without hesitating, he jumps into the dark room below.

He hits the concrete floor with a gentle tap. Immediately, he activates gyo so that he can see.

Because he hadn't explored any of the other rooms in the treasury, he decides to check out the other, smaller one.

On either side of the narrow room were rows and rows of shelves. Some have yet to be filled while others are filled to the point of collapsing.

Feitan at first has little interest in the items on the shelves until he comes across a large box below the shelves on the left wall.

It's a small box, with print on it written in permanent marker that (of course) he cannot read.

Feitan grabs it by its edge and slides it out while crouching to search through it. Inside, there are more paintings.

All are similar to the one hanging in the hallway. All of them depict the same setting.

The forest.

What intrigues him the most is how the situation changes in each picture.

In some, the girl is sitting alongside the spider peacefully, sometimes sleeping with it. In one, the girl actually kisses one of the spider's limbs. In others, the spider is attacking her or ignoring her. Sometimes, killing her.

_Squeak, Squeak!_

A small mouse interrupts his thoughts by scurrying across his toes.

Feitan pushes the box back into its original place and follows the mouse to the back wall, where it climbs up a stack of books to reach one of the shelves. before it can scamper too far away from him, he catches it by its tail.

He lifts it and searches the room for something he can keep it in. After a while of searching, he finds a large black pot on one of the room's more barren shelves. After setting the mouse in the pot, he searches the room for other things.

He finds only a few things that may be useful to him: A long, golden thread, Nails, glass and a long, wooden board.

He spreads them onto the floor and stands to analyze his work so far. After picturing the perfect piece in his head, he crouches by the pot, removing the rodent. He brings the creature up to his face.

Too bad he can only manage rodents for now.

_'for now._' He reminds himself. _'Soon I be free. Once mission over, I do what I want._'

He sets the board on the floor and holds the mouse down onto it. With his other hand, he lifts one of the rodent's legs and forces a nail through its think skin under its joint, attempting to keep it in place.

The mouse squeals and tries desperately to escape, causing it to tear its skin on the nail in the process. Feitan pinches the mouse's leg before it can scamper away, breaking it easily. He does the same for all of its other limbs as well. Now that it cant get away, Feitan ties a strand of golden thread to his pointer finger.

He readies himself for a gush of pleasure.

He pinches the thread with his other hand, straightening it out.

He needs to feel.

Feel.

_Feel._

_Feel!_

Like a saw, he slices through the rodent's neck. He pushes the thread back and forth through furry pelt. Gold turns quickly to red. Blood drips from the mouse onto his hand.

The creature can't squeak anymore. It can only twitch and gurgle in agony.

It's body goes limp once he completely severs its head with the thread.

It's not enough.

Feitan turns and takes the glass out from the pile of things he found earlier.

More.

_More._

* * *

"Why did you come here?"

"I sensed you were upset."

Chrollo takes a seat next to Phinks on the bench in the cemetery, gazing up at the clouds.

Phinks chuckles. "Yeah? How could you tell?"

Phinks picks up a tiny pebble from the concrete beneath the bench and chucks it at one of the many tombstones.

Chrollo laughs with him. "It's quite easy to tell." He replies. "Why _are_ you upset, Phinks?"

It takes him a moment to reply. he wipes his red, stuffy nose and sighs.

"I just don't think this is going to change their minds about them" He explains. "Not little things like that…"

"You mean… you _didn't_ notice?"

Phinks's head snaps up.

"What do you mean?"

"They were laughing."

"Yeah, because it was stupid."

"Together."

Phinks crinkles his nose. "..._What?"_

"They were all laughing together." Chrollo says. "Shalnark, Tadao, Franklin, Nobunaga. They all laughed together."

Phinks snorts. "Yeah." He says in a sarcastic manner. "They can make fun of me as long as they do it _together._"

"Well, it's working." Chrollo assures. "And quite well, in fact."

Phinks sighs. "Well, I'll sacrifice my dignity for that, I guess."

Chrollo pats him on the back and nods, saying nothing more. Phinks watches him leave the cemetery into the forest,. He himself doesn't leave until the sun sets.

* * *

He throws the tiny carcass at the wall, fists shaking angrily. He grunts out a shaky breath as he grips the glass in his hand harder, drawing blood from his palm.

Is this some sort of joke?!

Why cant he feel anything?!

Why cant he just satisfy himself?!

He tells and throws the glass at the wall, causing it to shatter into tiny pieces onto the floor. He runs his bloody hand through his hair, heaving as he paces around the narrow room.

He knows this can't be possible.

He just wants to feel.

Why can't he just feel?!

He falls to his knees and holds his head in disbelief.

He sits there, alone in the dark for hours. He must have gone over the situation a million times in his head until he finally worked it all out.

Lucius must have caused this, and at first, that angered him. But then he realized that she had the capability to intensify that feeling.

And he could just use her.


	21. Chapter 21

**Hey guys, sorry im late! **

**In response to:**

**Rinrikapyon: Thank you so much! I really try to make the desdemona shadowmen at least realistic and at least fitting for the anime. It means a lot to me that you like them! And the rule of thumb is: No matter what, Chrollo is always right cx**

**Forbidden Moons****: Oh my! Thank you for all the reviews! It really made my day to wake up in the morning to them! And don't worry, it's definitely not Malfoy aha.**

**SilverSapphire34523:**** yeah but Feitan is sorta a weird guy ahah**

**Also, I'd like to say that a portion of this chapter is dedicated to my best friend Sammi. She's always there for me when I need help.**

* * *

She could most definitely tell that he was somewhat distraught when she found him right outside her door in the middle of the night. Although he seemed just as calm and demanding as he always is, Lucius swore that she could hear some sort of difference in the pitch of his tired voice. A small hint of desperation that only someone with sharp ears like her could notice.

So, she allowed him inside.

"Do it again."

With a curious eye, she watches him shuffle in the chair across from her and glare back at her.

She crosses her legs.

"Do what again?"

She knows very well what he wants, but she just doesn't know why.

"Play it for me." He nods towards the direction of her bed, where her violin sits. "Now."

"No."

His eye twitches and he seems to stiffen in his chair. Under the table, he clutches his cloak with a firm grip.

Nobody has denied him like that before.

When he talks next, it sounds as though he is speaking through clenched teeth.

"_What?_!"

She smiles lightly at his response, which only infuriates him further. But she is surprised that he does not lash out at her.

"Why don't you change my mind?" She asks, leaning in. "Explain yourself."

* * *

Kurapika has often found himself dozing off in the middle of the day, but at night, he can't even close his eyes for longer than five seconds. Melody noticed this, and decided to take matters into her own hands.

First, she sat him down on the living room couch after tugging him from his bedroom, instructing him to wait. Then, she leaves the room.

He sighs and tips his head back while reclining on the couch.

None of the tactics Melody have tried the past few days have worked on him. No amount of herbal remedies, medicine or Chamomile tea could help him fall asleep. So, when Melody came back with her flute, he knew immediately that she was stumped too.

"Perhaps this will be the only way… are you fine with this?" She asks as she sits on a chair next to him.

He sighs again. He has told Melody before that this method made him uncomfortable (and she's done all that she could to avoid it), but he cannot deny that he desperately needs sleep; and he isn't about to argue with Melody over it so late at night, so he nods.

"Kurapika… you know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

He nods.

"It's not just anxiety. I know what you're feeling, Kurapika."

He looks up, his tired eyes meeting hers.

"I know" He replies. "But… I'm not sure that telling you about it will make you feel very secure."

She nods and looks down at the floor for a moment. Before she gives a response, she reaches out to touch his hand which rests on his knee. She grabs it and swipes her thumb over his knuckles in effort to comfort him.

"I'll sacrifice my sense of security to help you."

He doesn't reply, and this saddens her.

She speaks again.

"I wont leave you to suffer in this alone. Even if my music cannot cure this depression, I want to help as much as I can."

He closes his eyes.

"I'm afraid…" He starts. "I'm afraid that I won't be able to protect any of you. I'm conflicted. Melody, I'm in pain."

She does not reply, she only urges him to continue by squeezing his hand gently.

His voice shakes as he speaks.

"Is it okay to risk your lives just so I can get my revenge? My entire clan…" He chokes on the need to sob. "I-It's wrong! I should hunt them alone! I should have never of gotten you all involved." He is trembling now. "But I can't stand being all alone! Am I selfish, Melody?! I remember wanting to do this alone… for a reason…" His tears begin to hit his lap and their hands. He tries to hide his eyes under his bangs under his bangs and Melody knows it's because he's getting too worked up. "I wanted to do it alone. I don't want you to get hurt… I'm selfish. I am being so-"

Melody pulls his hand, yanking him into an awkward embrace. He stumbles into an awkward position with his head on his shoulder, leaning with his back arched.

Her warm presence lulls him into a sort of silent trance. He looks up at her.

She smiles back at him.

"That's enough of that negative-talk." Now, she strokes his hair in a sort of motherly way. He is about to reply, but she hushes him. "We all think that what you are doing is truly amazing. Do you know why?"

He shakes his head.

"Because those people will do horrible things to anyone. And they won't ever stop. You're doing all you can to make sure that they won't be able to do what they did to you and your family to someone else. Now… how is that selfish? And how is it selfish if we are willing to help you?"

Kurapika shakes his head again and slumps onto his knees onto the floor. His head falls into her lap.

He knows he's being childish, but he doesn't care at this point. He's tired, upset and scared. And really, who wouldn't be?

Melody nods and laughs, comforting him. His eyelids get heavy as she strokes his hair. Under his breath, he mumbles something.

"Melody… I'm sorry."

She laughs again.

Beautiful.

Musical.

"You're just fine." She assures. " Everything is just fine."

Kurapika moves his head to the side.

"Melody… is it okay if I come to you like this more often…?"

He looks back up at her and she simply nods.

And for a long time, the two just sit like that. Once Melody sees that Kurapika has closed his eyes and hears his even breathing, she lifts her flute from the table next to her to her lips.

* * *

"...Is that so…?"

Lucius nods and sits back in her chair. She lifts a finger to her chin and closes her eyes.

Feitan hasn't felt so conflicted before. Usually, he gets just what he wants when he wants it; he isn't patient.

What if he can never feel that again?

He flinches at the thought.

"And you haven't been able to experiment on a larger organism… I understand your distress."

"Then do it."

She chuckles. "No."

Absolutely enraged, Feitan slams his fist on to the table.

"You no get it, woman!" He scratches at the table, his nails pulling back the polished wooden finish on the table. "I'll-"

"You'll kill me?"

He lurches back into his chair as if he has been shot.

"What would happen after that…?" She asks. "If I _truly_ took that feeling away from you, and I may be the only one to give it to you, would that be…" She pauses to think for a moment before finishing. "_reasonable_ solution?"

Feitan doesn't reply. He's too angry and shocked to speak. She takes this as an agreement.

"That's right." She says. "But you won't suffer."

He gives her a dark glare.

"Explain. Now."

"Well…" She starts. "I know that it would be impossible to torture the torturer."

He narrows his eyes, his impatience is overwhelming.

"And?"

"Eventually you'd get my cooperation by force. So, I do intend to help you…" She narrows her eyes at him as well. "But you should know… I won't do it for free."

Feitan almost laughs in her face. He is used to making deals. In fact, the Troupe has made deals with more people than he can count. But they've always broken those deals and betrayed those people.

But he might have to agree and go through with it. And he knows that she'll be stuck in the deal as well. He knows that she knows that she cannot back down on the deal. In fact, he knows that she knows that he controls this deal as well. He figures she must be afraid of the pain he may inflict onto her after the mission.

If he did refuse, he would have to wait until after the mission to torture her until she did eventually play for him. Even then, he would be running the risk of losing her to the Chain User during the mission; or even to herself. Easily, she could threaten to commit suicide to take a bit of his control. If she dies, and experimenting on humans won't work for him, he will have no feeling whatsoever.

...But with cooperation, he'd get what he wanted when he wanted it. But it would all be for a price. Depending on the price, he'd benefit more with the deal than without. He'd be running no risks.

But the price…

He cracks a wicked smile. "You think hard, girl." He lowers his collar so he can see just how amused he is. "Tell me what you want."

She seems only a little bit surprised by this.

"All I want you to do is to listen to the things I have to say. Regardless of what they are…" She pauses. "And call me by my name."


	22. Chapter 22

**Hey guys! This chapter is going to be much shorter than the others because it's set a day before the big day… and I had writer's block lol. **

**In response to:**

**Rinrikapyon****: More FeiLu is coming your way soon!**

**Nyu:** **Hey, welcome back! I felt like it would be especially interesting if Feitan could only feel pleasure or anything of the sort by taking it out on people like that. Feitan was always my favorite character, I just wish he was given more screen time. I've only watched Dexter once, but I know what you're talking about!**

**Forbidden Moons****: Just what I like cx**

**Rosuka 96****: Welcome to the fandom, friend! Thank you so so much! I hope you enjoy the rest of it as well.**

**SilverSapphire34523****: I always thought they had a relationship like that. Afterall, Pika's family was killed and I think he'd miss motherly interaction like that.**

**Onto the extremely small chapter~**

* * *

Chapter 22

After their deal, he noticed that she has been much kinder to him; not that she wasn't already as polite to him as she is to everyone else. But lately, Lucius has been displaying strange acts of kindness towards him that he really hasn't seen from anyone outside of the Troupe before.

Even a child could understand that, even after just looking at him, offering someone like him any sort of kindness was dangerous. Someone- No, anyone with such an impressive bounty over their head could-and would- manipulate and take advantage of such kindness.

That's why you don't see a _real _friendly face in the Phantom Troupe. **(A/N: Throwing a glare at Shalnark right now.) **

So, what Feitan is wondering right now is: Why did the Shadowmen take their time to offer their kindness to the Troupe anyways? Why did Argo offer his kindness to the Boss?

...And why is she pouring him tea?

Lucius is standing above him, pouring a pink-tinted liquid from a fat and elegantly decorated teapot into a matching tea cup sitting on the table in front of him. The steam emitting from the cup brushes his nose

She returns to her own seat and pours herself a cup.

It smells sweet.

"I suppose you could use a 'cool down' period after getting so worked up."

She says quietly. "Take it as a thank you."

He doesn't look at her or her tea.

All he has to do is listen. He was never instructed to do anything more than

that. And for the past few days, all he has done around her is listen. Each time he would, she'd thank him in some way.

Yesterday, she thanked him by playing for him a bit longer than usual. The day before, She thanked him by offering him food. Before that, she thanked him personally. And today, she thanked him with tea.

'_why?' _He wonders. '_It just a deal.'_

Just a deal. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Just what is she trying?

She says something again, but he does not understand it.

This is something she does often after playing for him. Sometimes, instead of rambling on about something he doesn't care about, she'll speak to him in French as though he could understand perfectly. She'll look at him in the eye and speak to him so casually as if he would respond to her.

But this time, she seems to be thinking aloud instead and quickly hushes herself before she continues.

Feitan hasn't heard her speak so much until they made their deal. Frankly, he'd rather she return to her usual silent state.

It's starting to annoy him.

"Would you call your people observant?"

A question. That's new. Usually, she'd speak to him with no real relevant subject at all.

Now, she doesn't break eye-contact with him, staring at him sternly as if she is trying to pressure him to answer her.

She clears her throat and speaks again.

"I consider you quite observant. I cannot say the same for the rest of your people, however."

He hardens his glare at her.

"You insult the spider…?" He raises his voice now, his words drip with venom. "Choose your words carefully, _girl_."

She raises an eyebrow, clearly feeling no threat. "No. You misunderstood." She lifts her teacup to her lips and inhales the sweet scent. "Your people are distant and secretive. I would not know if they are observant or not… that is why I asked you." She closes her eyes as she takes a sip. "Did you forget my name, or do you refuse to?"

He grumbles and sits back in his chair. "What you going to do about it?"

"Simply remind you that my name is Lucius. Not girl, not woman."

He scoffs and stands from his chair.

But he knows well that he is not allowed to take his leave until she says that she is done speaking. That was part of the deal.

All he has to do is listen, he reminds himself that.

"Am I upsetting you with my teasing…?" She lets out a light laugh. "I apologise. I do not expect an apology out of you after that."

All he has to do is listen. But he just can't let her have this sort of dominance over him. He towers over her, supporting his weight with one hand on the surface of the table.

"I call you what I want."

She chuckles again. "Very well, _Feitan._" She sets down her cup and smiles.

Something that is quite unusual compared to her usual emotionless composition.

"Take care of yourself, rest well. The ball is tomorrow evening."

He ignores her dismissal and takes this as his pass to leave.

* * *

"_Sit here, child."_

_The frail little girl complies, wiping her tear-stained cheeks. She climbs up onto the top of the crate and sits with her head down, refusing to meet eyes with the large man in front of her._

"_Don't fret, my girl. This is your punishment. I told you to do everything that your uncle told you, and you did not."_

"_He…" The girl sniffs and holds back a sob. "He… It hurt."_

"_His punishment is far more painful than mine, Lucius. Feel blessed that you do not have to sit through that sort of torture."_

"_...T-Torture…?" _

"_Something horrible that someone will do to another being in order to feel fulfilled. To assert dominance. You don't want your skin peeled off do you? Or your limbs crushed?" _

_Lucius does not reply._

"_You do understand what dominance means, do you not?"_

"_Yes father. Is my music… torture?"_

_Hiro nods. "Yes. But you do that to people for me, not yourself. You're not allowed to do it for yourself. But you already understand that." _

_She nods. "Father… am I… 'horrible' ?" _

_Hiro looks at the girl before leaving her in the room._

"_Perhaps I made you into something horrible."_

_With that, Hiro leaves her in the dark room to sit and think. _

_She looks down at her feet and hums to herself. She is not let out until the next day._

**_Next chaper, the ball!_**


	23. Chapter 23

**Hey guys! I'm so so so sorry that I could not update last week, I had a convention to go to and I had cosplay to manage. To compensate for my lateness, I've prepared an extra-long, two part chapter!**

**In response to:**

**Chiikaboom: haha, I'm not sure what you mean but I can guess!**

**Rinkapyon: More of Lucius's past has yet to be revealed, but I'm sure the future chapters will bring clarity on the subject!**

**Forbidden Moons: Well, here's the ball!**

* * *

Chapter 23

The Ball- Part 1

Arrival

Phinks breathes out a sigh in wonderment before mu,bling under his breath.

"...Damn."

He looks Rei up and down, taking in each curve and crevice of her body. She stands in the candlelight of the hallway and she is spotlighted behind her with lumination that the open bathroom door provides. Her sea green gown glistens like ocean water and highlights the curve of her hip.

She laughs at his reaction as she ties her hair up into a bun. Lucius steps out of the bathroom behind her.

Phinks looks away, his face reddening.

"Do I look good?"

"A-Ah… yeah."

Rei holds back the urge to tease him by changing the subject. She turns to Lucius.

"She's adorable, isn't she Phinks?" She nudges him with her hip. "Lucius dolled everyone up for the ball. I think the girls aren't used to that sort of thing."

"Aren't you just a body guard?"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that I can't be a sexy one." Rei replies, still smiling at Lucius's poofy dress. "I think Lu makes the perfect Neon Nostrade."

"She looks nothing like her."

"Her look matches the name."

Lucius looks a tad uncomfortable under Phinks's and Rei's stares.

For the ball, Lucius went for a more modern look. She wears a plain black, patterned sweater over a dark red dress that frills into black at the bottom. It's length is no longer than any of her other gothic lolita jumpers, measuring just above her knee. Her hair is pinned up and held by black bows which separate her hair into two curled pigtails.

She shifts and turns off the bathroom light.

"What time is it?"

"8-o-clock."

"Almost time to head out."

* * *

Feitan groans and tries again, this time he wraps the bigger end of the tie around the smaller one, but again he only manages to tie a big jumbled knot around his neck.

He swears under his breath and tries again, refocusing the dirty vanity mirror to the tie around his neck. During his fifteenth attempt, his bedroom door clicks and swings open.

"Feitan…? We are all waiting for you in the foyer."

Feitan yells something back at her that she cannot understand and continues to fiddle with the tie around his neck. Lucius approaches from behind and he ignores her.

"Would you like help?"

He grumbles another incomprehensible response.

"It is quite alright if you do. I have helped Nobunaga and Kortopi as well."

He gives up by groaning even louder and turning to face her.

She laughs at the bundled mess around his collar before coming closer to him.

Too close for Feitan's comfort.

Lucius struggles a bit to untie the knot but once she does, she readjusts it and swings it around the back of his neck.

He looks away from her so that he doesn't have to stare at her face, but he ends up taking glances every once and awhile anyways; but only when she isn't looking.

She flips the collar of his white dress shirt over the tie before beginning to actually tie it.

"Tadao has problems with this as well." She explains before fixing a half windsor knot around his neck.

He wants to feel disgusted when her mint breath reaches his nose, but he has become so accustomed to being around her that, for some reason, his body is no longer bothered by the smell of her perfume or her touch or presence in general.

Once finished, her attention turns to the buttons of his shirt, which are undone or connected wrong.

"...you just need a little more help than him. That is all."

* * *

The invitation. Just where the hell is it?!

Ever since he's woken up, Kurapika has been searching the entire house for the invitation that Neon received to the Debutante Ball. He knows well that Neon and everyone else should get into the ball just fine with just identification, but Kurapika has never considered himself a forgetful person. He finds it disturbing that he has been so distraught that he was careless.

"To be fair." Starts Gon, who is helping him by searching through the couch cushions. "You've been stressed. Maybe the ball will be a great opportunity to relax and enjoy yourself!"

"I appreciate the optimism, Gon." Replies Kurapika while rummaging through the contents in the pocket of a jacket. "But I can't stop to relax. I've got the pressure of protecting Neon, and at the same time, the Troupe could attack whenever they feel like it. I think this ball is the perfect opportunity for that.

Killua pops his head out from under the couch, pulling some spare change out with him. "Why would they do that? Wouldn't it be easier to attack us here? Anyone could google Neon's address or something, so why would they go through the trouble? And how would they know we're going to the ball anyways unless they're stalking us."

"you make a good point, but I cant let my guard down."

'_besides, I have people to protect.'_

Kurapika sighs out and pinches the bridge of his nose.

"Maybe we should forget it, kurapika. Leorio is almost done showering, its your turn next."

"Yeah." Killua agrees. :It's just stressing you out more. None of us want to deal with you when you're moody."

Kurapika and Gon laugh.

""Kurapika's scary when he's mad." Gon adds. "good thing he's not mad a lot."

"Hey, hey, Kurapika. What even happens at Balls? I know you dance and all that, but what's it all about?" Asks Killua while hopping onto the couch.

"Well I believe it is being held in celebration of Neon's friend's graduation. Upper-class individuals usually hold a Debutante to introduce a young girl, typically a daughter, to society once they reach maturity."

"eh…? That's lame."

Kurapika laughs and sits next to him.

"You don't have to come if you feel like you'll be bored."

"Nah." Says Killua, folding her arms. "If Gon is going, then I'm going."

Their attention turns to the bathroom door, where Leorio walks out with just a towel around his waist.

"Anyone seen my suit?"

* * *

Lucius is the first to step out of the car, her "body guards" follow close after her. The rest of the Troupe and the Shadowmen stayed back until the car (driven by Shalnark) is returned to the mansion.

In her hands, Lucius carries her violin case.

She approaches the sidewalk and waits for the others to catch up with her. She looks up at the Auselor Hotel and the group takes in its elegance. The building itself is white and perhaps 30 stories tall, pointing at the night sky and illuminated by golden lights.

"We're early." Says Phinks, approaching with Rei and Feitan behind her. "But that means no lines, no Chain User and no Neon Nostrade."

Lucius holds the case close to her chest as she approaches the entrance which is guarded by a Bouncer.

The bouncer is a large, bald man wearing black sunglasses and a matching suit. She greets the man with a curtsy, which earns her a strange glance from Feitan.

"Good evening Miss…?"

She answers quietly while handing him the invitation. "Neon Nostrade."

The man visibly squints at her from under his sunglasses and brings the invitation closer to his face.

"M-Miss Nostrade… the daughter of Light Nostrade?"

Lucius nods. "Yes sir. Is that a problem?"

"N-No… but… would you mind giving me an autograph? My daughter is a huge fan!"

Lucius furrows her brow and fumbles for an excuse to say no.

"A-Ah… Um, I am in a hurry…"

"Oh, It would only take a second, I swear."

Thankfully, Feitan decides to play his act as her bodyguard just in time and takes control of the situation by stepping in front of her.

"You no trouble Miss Nostrade right now." He glares up at the Bouncer menacingly. "you heard her. We in a hurry."

The Bouncer is taken aback by this and immediately steps out of their way, pushing the door open for them.

"O-Of course, I did not mean to trouble you."

The four silently rush inside to an almost vacant lobby where to men stand in the center with long, rod-like metal detectors. The two men approach them.

One of the men holds out his hand for Lucius to give him her violin case. She complies, and the man swipes it up and down with his metal detector before opening it to check its contents. During this, the other man is scanning Rei for weapons. Then, he proceeds to scan Feian, Rei and Phinks. After concluding that the violin is safe, the man raises the detector to scan Lucius.

She holds out her arms obediently and waits patiently for him to completely scan her entire body.

_BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!_

The man pauses, scanning around her bust for a second, seeming confused.

Lucius reaches into her bra and takes out the silver dog whistle.

The man doesn't understand.

"You uh… a dog person?"

* * *

She laughs and jokingly knocks on her head, sticking out her tongue. The man with the detector asks no questions and returns to his original spot.

"Tch."

Feitan watches as she drops her fake act just as fast as she started it. The four huddle around around her case.

"Now?"

Phinks shakes his head. "Not until the Boss calls."

Rei links arms with Phinks. "Don't get impatient now, Lu. We'll send you a signal once they call." Keep our little Neon safe, Fei-chan!"

Feitan grumbles as the two walk through the empty lobby to a bench near the restrooms. Lucius pulls out her violin and pulls a white laced handkerchief out of the case. She sweeps the cloth over the violin's strings gently as the two wait for the signal.

* * *

The ball- Part 2

Lucius's lullaby.

Chrollo adjusts a cuff around his wrist after stepping out of the vehicle. Everyone else stands around him and Argo as people begin to line up at the entrance of the Auselor. Argo nods at him, and Chrollo takes a cell phone out from his jacket pocket.

Argo reaches into his pocket as well and pulls out a bag of earplugs. After passing it around, Chrollo dials a number.

* * *

Lucius and Feitan stand leaning up against a wall on one side of the lobby, watching as crowds of people pour in from the entrance. Rei and Phinks sit on the other side of the lobby, cuddling on a bench.

Feitan cringes in disgust at the two and returns his attention to the crowd.

"Perhaps we should start now…?"

Feitan shakes his head at her suggestion. "No signal yet."

"People are pouring in. Too many and we may be noticed when I start." Lucius whispers back still stroking the strings of her violin.

Feitan flashes her an amused glance.

"Scared to be caught?"

She shakes her head. "No. But it could be problematic."

"If we get caught, we take over this place."

Lucius nods, holding back a look of amusement and looks back at the cuddling couple. Phinks is staring back at them with his cellphone lifted to his ear.

She doesn't even have to wait for the signal.

She lifts her violin to her chin and before playing, she tosses Feitan a small package with earbuds in it. She takes a sort of confident stance by pressing her heels firmly onto the ground, and it catches the attention of a few of the guests who have also arrived early. She glides the bow onto the strings, starting a sad, slow song.

Feitan backs away as a small crowd forms around them. Lucius closes her eyes and carefully executes each stroke with long, slow strides.

Feitan pop the buds in his ears and watches the silent scene.

He knows that she hasn't even started using her Nen yet, but people already seem to be swayed by her music.

One woman reaches into her purse and pulls out a tissue to wipe a tear forming at the corner of her older men murmur to each other about how beautiful it is, and another woman is sobbing.

Upon seeing this, Feitan rolls his eyes.

But then, it all stops. Lucius's eyes jolt open and somehow, it all stops. Women stop sobbing, men stop speaking and the air gets thicker. The first to fall to her lullaby is one of the guards. He collapses, and at the same time, Feitan can feel her vibrations surround him.

Her vibrations envelop him.

One by one, the crowd drops like flies onto the ground. Lucius seems to struggle against her own song and once the entire room, including Phinks and Rei, is asleep, her own eyes flutter closed and she drops to her knees.

Before she can fall forward smack her head on the marble floor, Feitan holds her up.

"Idiot…" He murmurs. "Could have hurt you."

If she was hurt too badly, she'd be of no use to him.

Behind them, the entrance doors swing open, gently nudging the sleeping guard who once blocked it. Chrollo, Argo and others step into the lobby.

"Now, everyone." He lifts a finger to his lips and speaks in a hushed voice. "Remember the plan…" With his other hand, he lifts up a few stolen invitations. "Oh, and mind your manners."

With that, the group returns to their spot outside; falling onto the ground in the line of people as if the lullaby struck them too.

Feitan lays on the marble floor and does the same.

* * *

Kurapika looks up at the Auselor, squinting hard at the spotlights in the sky. The only thing separating him from the hotel is a long line of elegantly dressed people clutching invitations in-between their fingers.

"Stuck in a long ass line only to wait for some fancy dance…"

Killua audibly sighs and adjusts the bowtie around his neck.

"Maybe they'll have food…" Gon closes his eyes and grips his grumbling stomach.

"They do!" Neon assures, peeking her head out from behind Leorio. "But you cant take too much."

The line advances and the two boys look at each other with matching mischievous grins.

"There's so many people…" Leorio looks around him with shifty eyes. "Suppose the Troupe will make an appearance?"

Kurapika stiffens and quickly, Gon, Killua and Melody hush him.

Melody changes the subject.

"Many of the guests here are CEO's of big companies or inventors. Why are you invited, Miss Nostrade?"

"It's my friend's graduation party." Neon answers. "I'd never go if it was like one of daddy's business parties."

The line advances.

"Did you hear what happened?"

Kurapika is now listening to a conversation between a young woman and a large older male in front of him.

"No, I didn't." The woman answers. "What are you talking about?"

"I received a call from my nephew about two hours ago, he said that while he and a few others were waiting for the ballroom to open, a violinist began to play for them while they waited. After that, a strange phenomenon occurred."

"Strange phenomenon?"

"He, along with all the other guests, including the violinist , fell asleep."

"They just fell asleep?! Were they gassed?!"

The man shakes his head.

"The authorities were called. Said there was no explanation. No gas. Along with that, all the security cameras were busted."

Kurapika swallows hard and exhales a shaky breath.

The line advances.

"Invitation or identification, please."

Neon slips by Kurapika and hands the bouncer her I.D. The guard looks at the card and looks back up a her, puzzled.

"Miss… Neon Nostrade…?"

"She nods and smiles at him.

"Is something wrong, sir?"

The man clears his throat.

"Would you happen to be Neon Nostrade, the daughter of Light Nostrade…? The psychic?"

"Yes sir, unfortunately I cannot show you an invitation. But I could give you an autograph if you'd like." Neon digs into her purse and pulls out a pen and a small memo book. The guard doesn't reply as Neon scribbles onto the pad. Then, she rips out a page and hands it to him.

"A-Ah thank you. You may pass."

The bouncer moves aside from his position, allowing Kurapika, Neon, Gon, Killua, Melody and Leorio into the lobby. After closing the door, the bouncer reaches to his belt and tugs a walkie-talkie away from its clasp, which he puts up to his mouth.

"Carlson, we have a problem… there are two Neon Nostrades in the building."

* * *

Lucius fiddles with the wristband around her wrist with little concern, tracing the letters that spell out 'Neon Nostrade' on the white plastic with the tip of her fingers.

She stands alone near a concessions stand in the far upper left corner of the ballroom. Around her are people surrounding the food and drinks and in the center, on the golden and white marble floor, people waltz back and forth along with the music that an orchestra plays on the other side of the ballroom. Above her is a balcony, where Phinks, Feitan and Rei are stationed. Parallel to the balcony is a glittering chandelier with golden flickering lights.

Lucius clutches her violin tighter to her chest as she secludes herself from the crowd, backing up into a corner.

A few people stare at her and even question her isolation, but she ignores it.

"_Stay in your positions." Chrollo ordered them. "But never lose sight of each other."_

Lucius feels her stomach groan. She stares off into the direction of the concessions table and the big crowd around it.

She knows very well that someone as small and weak as herself could never push through such a big crowd without Nen.

So, she doesn't even try.

Although the pastries beckoning her from the table are difficult to resist.

She exhales silently and leans back into the corner, resting her head on the wall behind her. She scans the ballroom.

'_Chains. Look for chains.'_

Lucius has only been standing alone for fifteen minutes. Already, a man approaches her.

"You look lonely." The older man smiles as he draws closer. He extends a gloved hand to her. "Care to dance?"

Lucius looks up to the bearded older male.

She can smell the alcohol in his breath. Immediately, she knows that she wants him as far away from her as possible.

`"No, I do not care to at all."

The man pouts and pretends to be hurt.

"Aw… so cruel… but I suppose it adds to your mysterious charm." He steps closer to her now.

Lucius feels as though he is threatening her in some way.

He speaks again.

"Don't you know how incredibly rude it is for a woman to refuse a man, especially at a ball?" He puts a hand on her shoulder. "I'm just being polite, dear. It is quite the taboo for a woman to refuse to dance at a ball. In fact, it is looked down upon." He slides his hand from her shoulder, down to her arm to her hand.

She blinks.

Is that really how it is? Lucius has only been at a ball once before. Even then. that was too long ago to remember. Before she can reject, the man pulls her out into the center of the ballroom.

**whew! over 3,000 words! Hope you liked it! Part 3 is coming soon!**


	24. Chapter 24

**Hey guys! I'm back with part 4. Just so we're clear, I have no idea how many parts I intend to separate the ball into, I want to stretch this part out as much as I can.**

**In response to:**

**jovysanchez17: ****More FeiLu is coming up for sure! I can't help but make Fei all angry, he's stuck in some mansion with people he hates haha cx and its kinda cute when he's angry.**

**Forbidden Moons:** **Feitan has always been an adorable itsy bitsy spider c: I can't kill off Kurapika :O haha, its okay though. Sometimes his emo moments about his dead family are annoying.**

**Chiikaboom:** **I needed to write that scene. It was essential to my life and I might of died if I didn't**

**Rinrikapyon****: More FeiLu coming up~**

* * *

Chapter 24

The Ball- part 4

The Chain User

Kurapika hands Neon a glass of punch while sitting back at a round table with Gon, Killua, Leorio and Melody. Neon stands next to the group with her cup and eyes a few gentlemen on the other side of the ballroom.

Melody chuckles.

"Ah, I remember my teen years…" She muses while finishing up the last bit of punch in her cup.

"You should go talk to them, Neon!" Says Gon while shoveling cake into his mouth. "They seem nice, maybe they'll like you too!"

Neon blushes and smiles, still gushing over the group of handsome men.

"I can't." She says, sighing and looking away. "Women do not ask the men to dance. The men must as the women… It would be considered rude for me to ask them."

Killua leans over to Leorio and whispers.

"It must suck to be a girl."

Leorio nods solemnly.

"But you can still talk to them!" Gon hops out of his seat and wipes the crumbs off of his face. He walks to Neon and takes her hand. "I'll go with you if you're nervous!"

Gon drags Neon in the direction of the group of men, ignoring her refusal and tugging.

Melody laughs happily again.

Kurapika, however, is distracted from the group's conversation. He is staring off into the crowd of people in the center of the ballroom at one particular couple.

The three continue on their conversation without notice until Kurapika stands from his seat.

"Kurapika…?"

Kurapika walks in the direction of the couple.

"Hey, Kurapika!" Leorio yells after him. "Where are you going?!"

Kurapika doesn't look back.

* * *

Lucius shudders as the man's hand slips further down her back as the two sway back and forth to the beat of the music played by the orchestra. She looks around at the masked figures around her and none of them notice her discomfort.

She swallows her dignity and avoids the man's gaze.

His grip is firm, and she cannot wriggle out of it without Nen. And she really doesn't need to attract as much attention as that would.

So, she doesn't. Instead, she goes for plan B.

"I strongly advise…" She grunts as she tries to push the man away. "You let me go."

The man pushes her closer to his chest, digging his nails into the skin of her lower back. Her cheek presses against his breast pocket.

"Now, why would I do that?" His hand, which once rested on her lower back, pets the back of her head. "We're having good fun, aren't we?"

She tries to look up to the balcony and possibly find Feitan and Phinks but unfortunately she can only gaze up high enough to meet with the man's brown eyes.

She grunts and stomps her heel down on the man's toes.

The man isn't even remotely bothered and she curses herself for being physically inferior.

Unsure what else to do, Lucius raises her voice.

"What do you want from me?!"

* * *

Phinks and Feitan stand together looking over the balcony, scanning through the enormous crowd of people below. The two have sat in silence for almost an hour, and still nothing eventful has happened.

"Maybe he won't show." Phinks suggests, supporting his chin with the palm of his hand while resting his elbow on the white marble railing.

Feitan doesn't reply.

He only stares off into the area by the concessions table where Lucius should be standing.

Panic settles in as his eyes dart in each and every direction.

Lucius would never just leave, especially during such an important mission, right?

No, never. She is far too loyal to Argo to disobey orders, especially since she was ordered specifically to do anything in her power to help them.

Besides, why would she go through the trouble of helping him when he needed her then slack off when the _Troupe_ needed her? Feitan doesn't know why, but that idea is absurd to him.

Phinks notices her absence only after Feitan's silence.

"...Oh shit." Phinks leans over the balcony a bit more and scans the room up and down. "You don't think… She ran into the Chain User… do you?"

Feitan's eyes dart around faster now. His voice is quiet as he speaks.

"She said she blow whistle…"

Once Feitan finally spots her, he feels a strange sort of indescribable hatred towards the stranger who is holding her by her hips and forcing her head to lay onto his chest.

But, he soon forgets that.

Just a few feet away from her and the stranger she is dancing with is an all-too-familiar blonde figure.

Phinks hasn't noticed him yet.

"What the hell is she thinking?!"

Feitan doesn't listen. There's no time.

The Chain User taps Lucius on the shoulder.

* * *

"Excuse me, is this man bothering you?"

The short black haired girl is finally able to tug out of the large man's arms after he intervenes. She moves away from the man with a slightly annoyed expression.

"Yes, he is." The girl replies quietly, moving behind him.

Kurapika stands straight up, shielding the girl from the taller man's shadow. The man glares down at him, but he still manages a charming smile.

"The lady was lonely, I gave her company." The man takes a step forward and Kurapika returns his glare. "It doesn't concern the likes of you."

"I never asked for your company." The girl replies, her tone softening with less emotion.

"I saw you give her trouble. I suggest you leave before I notify the Security." Kurapika's glare hardens and the man's eyes narrow. The people around them who were once dancing begin to stare and step away from them, but the orchestra continues.

The man seems pressured by the stares of the crowd and he takes a step back. He hesitates for a moment as if he was going to say something but he quickly changes his mind. The man grumbles and pushes into the crowd behind him.

Kurapika turns to the girl and looks down at her, smiling weakly.

"Are you alright?"

The girl seems preoccupied. She looks away at the crowd of moving bodies around her in each direction before answering his question with a nod.

Kurapika notices her discomfort.

"Are you alone?"

"...Yes."

"He didn't hurt you, did he?"

The girl looks back at Kurapika with light blue eyes and studies him for a moment, looking him up and down. Her black and red dress glitters in the bright light from the chandelier above them.

"No." She replies. Suddenly her body language shifts and so does her tone. "Why do you care?"

* * *

Lucius had hoped that the boy would leave her alone after she sharpened her tone, but unfortunately, that doesn't happen.

He smiles.

"I wouldn't sit back and watch him harass you. That would be cruel."

Lucius mentally scowls in annoyance, but she maintains her calm posture.

She should be watching the crowd from the south eastern corner of the ballroom. She can't afford to be slowed down any longer. The Chain User could have passed her.

But the boy was useful to her.

"Thank you." She says. "But I must be going, I have important matters to tend to."

"Of course." He smiles. "If you run into trouble, don't hesitate to seek me out."

And on that note, the blond boy finally turns and walks away. Lucius turns too, but she stops when the boy calls out to her.

"Ah, excuse me again. You dropped this."

She turns back and her eyes widen. In the blonde stranger's hand is her silver dog whistle.

But that isn't what startles her.

Wrapped around his hand and connected by rings on his fingers are strands of thick silver chains.

* * *

Feitan dashes past Phinks, squeezing past lines of people on the balcony. He activates his Nen and conceals his presence immediately to avoid detection. With quick and quiet steps that cannot be seen by the naked eye, Feitan meanders through the crowd of people walking up and down the stairs to the balcony.

He knows he should be mostly concerned about conducting a plan to defeat The Chain User, but there's another thing on his mind.

What if The Chain User notices Lucius's wristband before she has the chance to blow the whistle to alert the others and he attacks her?

What if The Chain User _kills _her?"

'_No.'_

He shakes those thoughts away.

His loyalty to the Troupe is more important than the feelings he may lose. It doesn't matter if he can no longer listen to her music.

But he can't stay in denial forever, he knows that. When he listens to her music, he feels much more than just sadistic pleasure. In fact, it's a feeling he has never felt before. And his confusion is just enough to burden him.

He groans. There he goes again

He attempts to clear his mind, zigzagging through the obstacles of tables and chairs quickly so that he will not be noticed.

Finally, Feitan is in the center of the ballroom just behind Lucius.

* * *

Things move slowly for Kurapika even before he realizes that something is horribly wrong.

The girl extends her arm to take the whistle from him, and he was just about to drop it into her hands until he sees something quite peculiar.

The name 'Neon Nostrade' is printed in black capital letters on the wristband dangling from her small wrist.

At first, he thinks it is a possible coincidence. His brow furrows, but the girl does not seem bothered by his staring.

That is when Kurapika made a grave mistake.

He dropped the whistle into the girl's hands.

Things go even slower. The girl turns and steps away from him. Then, she crouches, putting the whistle to her lips.

Kurapika's blood runs cold.

The figure behind the girl glares down at him with a pair of familiar grey eyes. Kurapika feels his vision burning.

In a red blur, the torturer jumps over the crouching girl, arms extended to grab him.

The torturer is only a few feet away from him when the girl blows the whistle.

Time returns to normal speed now.

Kurapika flinches. A booming screech emits from the whistle, masking the screams of the people in the ballroom. He gasps out as his head spins. A trickle of blood drips from his ear down his neck.

The torturer takes this as an opportunity to strike.

* * *

Melody screams and falls from her seat under the table. Killua and Leorio aren't given any time to help her right away, as the sound has already reached their own ears. Unlike the fainted individuals on the floor of the ballroom, Leorio and Killua cover their ears.

Leorio kneels at Melody's side. Since she has fainted, he risks his own hearing to take the handkerchief from his breast pocket and tie it around her head and ears tightly. Leorio grunts as his eardrums shake violently. Once he is sure that Melody should be fine, he stands back up next to killua with his hands over his bleeding ears.

In the center of the ballroom, the once peaceful, swaying crowd of people disperse and scatter into different directions. Once most of the people are out of the way, the scene becomes clear to them. And although no one was able to hear them shout over the squealing sound shaking the ballroom, they still both yell the same name.

"Kurapika!"


	25. Chapter 25

**Hey guys! I'm really sorry for the wait. I've got final exams coming up and I've been busy with projects. I hope you guys dont mind that I wont be able to update next week because of finals.**

**in response to: **

**Mi-Chan:** **I have plenty of FeiLu moments planned. Like I said in previous chapters, I plan for this fanfic to be long! So there's going to be many FeiLu moments but not so much in this chapter because this chapter is planned to be action packed~ **

**CielSynema:** **Yay! I'm happy you like it! 3**

**SilverSapphire34523: ****Sorry to keep you waiting!**

**Rinkapyon: ****Kurapika and Lu would be cute, but I have different plans in store cx **

**Forbidden Moons: ****More excitement is coming your way~**

* * *

Chapter 25

The ball- part 5

Lights out

The sound of the whistle has ceased, and Gon's ears are left ringing.

The ballroom is now bare and cluttered. Most of the party guests- along with Neon- have already evacuated the building, while others lay unconscious on the floor.

Gon had his under a table near the left side of the ballroom, waiting impatiently for the enhanced sound of the whistle to come to an end. After wiping the blood dripping from his ear to his collarbone with the white table cloth around him, he cautiously activates Zetsu and slowly lifts the tablecloth above his head to see what is going on.

He recognizes the spider immediately although he can't remember his name.

Kurapika dodges the spider's attack, stumbling backwards.

Gon shouts his name, but he cant hear his own voice still over the ringing in his ears caused by the whistle, and neither can Kurapika

* * *

Lucius backs away from the fight cautiously, still in disbelief. After All, she hadn't expected it would be so simple to draw out the chain user or that she would do it on accident.

'_What are the odds?_' She asks herself as she watches Feitan stab at the chain user over and over with both his hands. The Chain User just barely dodges all his attacks.

Her thoughts are interrupted when two figures appear out of the corner of her eye.

One is a tall man in a suit carrying a suitcase, who she assumes to be in his twenties. The other is a child with pale skin and matching white hair. The two shout after the Chain User, and the younger male activates his Nen.

Her eyes narrow.

Quite grizzly Nen for such a young kid.

She can't let them interfere, she knows that. So, she takes a step forward and activates her own Nen.

* * *

"Do you think he's alone?" Leorio asks as Killua's aura envelops his entire body

Killua turns to the other presence in the room. A girl, just a few inches taller than him with jet black hair and in a black and red gown, takes a step towards him and Leorio.

"she's the one with the whistle…"

Killua doesn't reply.

He already knows that. And, he has assumed at the time that she blew the whistle that she was considerably weaker than the other other spider; That was- of course - before he saw her Nen.

Something about her Nen is different. He can tell.

Even though it doesn't appear to be too dangerous, the strange feeling that her Nen gives him causes him to proceed with caution.

He calls out to her.

"Yo. Are you a new spider?"

The girl looks back at him. She displays no emotion as she takes another step forward. She scans them both, looking them up and down before replying to him in a quiet voice.

"No."

"Then who the hell are you?!" Leorio spats as he reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a small pocket knife, pointing it out at the girl dressed in black.

"Knock it off, Leorio." Killua demands, pushing Leorio's extended arm holding the knife back to his side. "I've got this one." Killua looks back at him. "Go help Melody and find Gon."

Leorio hesitates at first but soon he consents and rushes back to the table behind them.

Killua looks back at the girl.

"Are you prepared to die here?"

The girl gives a light smile to his question. She looks down at her feet and chuckles to herself as if he had just told her a joke. Just as quickly as her gradual steps towards him, her smile vanishes. Soon, she is just a few feet away from him.

She replies in a monotone voice.

"I will sincerely respect you if you can manage to get rid of me."

The girl takes another step closer, and suddenly, she is gone.

Killua breathes out a gasp as he spins, searching for her presence.

'_No good. She's wiped herself from my view so quickly… Damn! Where is she hiding?'_

He sharply inhales another breath as a strange sensation came about him. It engulfed him like a wave, pricking at his skin like needles. He goes to move right, and the sensation follows him.

And now, he can finally sense her again.

'_Above?!'_

His eyes dart to the chandelier above him. And just for a moment, he can see the blur of her body hopping from the chandelier to the railing of the balcony, where she stares back at him with empty eyes.

She mouths words to him that he only understand the moment that the chain which connects the chandelier to the ceiling creaks and twists.

The chain snaps.

* * *

Kurapika can't get a definite focus on the spider. No matter how hard he tries, he knows that he won't manage to lock him in place with Chain Jail. His first plan was to exhaust the spider, but now he has realized that the spiders stamina exceeds his own.

The only other plan that he can come up with while dodging each jab from the spider seems hopeless as well. How could he manage to stop him from moving when the Torturer's speed, stamina and strength exceeds his very own?

Well, he isn't given time to try to solve his problem.

The spider's partner does it for him.

The spider's head turns to the noise produced by the chandelier.

Kurapika extends his right hand and prepares to strike. However, he sees that Killua still hasn't moved.

Kurapika calls out to him to move and quickly returns his attention to the Torturer, who is quickly advancing towards him.

The spider is so fast that he is able to appear behind Kurapika in just a half a second. The torturer takes another jab at Kurapika's side, tearing the thin flesh around his ribcage.

Kurapika swears aloud and spins, but the spider is already out of his sight.

Kurapika is sure that if he hadn't seen that attack coming, the spider's hand would have made a gaping hole through his torso.

* * *

Lucius watches the boy dash out of the way of the falling chandelier from the balcony.

The boy's dash is graceful and quick. Easily, he clears out of the way of the falling chandelier.

But, once the chandelier crashes onto the reflective marble floor, sparks begin to fly and glass shards fly outwards. A few of them pierce into the boy's calf muscles as he runs in the opposite direction of the crash.

She is surprised to hear no yelp or even a gasp of pain, and she uses this information to measure his strength.

Yes, she has underestimated him.

She figures that the boy must have been through some sort of intense training. How else would he be able to silence his steps at such a young age?

And it isn't that her hearing is impaired either. She is certain that this boy must have been trained by assassins. She assumes that it could be that he was raised by one as well.

"Hmph.."

She stands, perched on the railing as the boy takes another step. He moves swiftly, like wind. And she allows him to approach her up the stairs to the balcony. His entire movement was dictated by one step.

She spins on her heels to face him once he approaches from behind her.

"You really thought that could get rid of me?" He speaks in a mocking voice. "Ba-ka."

"A test." She replies.

Both his eyebrows raise. "Eh? You don't make sense…"

She hops from the railing and lands gracefully onto the balcony floor. He looks back at her with stern eyes as she focuses on the first sound she hears.

"Friends of the Troupe are no friends of mine."

She smiles and holds out a hand towards him, pulling sound out of the air. The boy seems surprised when the vibrations poke at his skin again as it forms a simple tune.

"Attack me." She orders as she moves her hands in a circular motion to collect more vibrations. "Or I will attack first."

The boy doesn't reply. He only shifts his weight and shoves his hands in his pockets.

She lifts both her arms at him now.

"Very well."

* * *

Feitan can hear Lucius's music from the balcony and somehow, it gives him a feeling of reassurance.

This feeling bothers him so much that he has been distracted from his own fight. He hasn't been able to land a single critical hit on The Chain User.

He could have finished this early.

If he wanted, he could end this feud between the Chain User and the Troupe once and for all with Pain Packer. All he would have to do is take a few hits from the Chain User.

And usually, that option would be ideal to him.

But now, he has the stress of not knowing where the rest of the Troupe is.

And he'd kill Lucius in the process.

'_That no matter!'_

He groans in annoyance and backs away from the Chain User, not taking his eyes off of him.

The Chain User lifts his right arm again, and this time a long string of chains fires directly at him. He, of course, is fast enough to dodge with ease.

It is obvious to Feitan that the Chain User has improved.

But to Feitan, this is child's play.

He decides to take it up a notch.

He stops and allows the Chain User to send his chains at him again. Instead of dodging to the right and attacking from the side like he had been doing in the first place, he ducks down and dashed to the Chain User head-on.

He can hear the chains fall behind him and follow after him as he bolts forward. Within a second, he is inches away from the blonde's face.

* * *

Kurapika gasps and jumps out to the right, but suddenly he loses sight of the torturer.

For a moment, it is as if the spider never existed in the first place. Any trace of the spider vanished immediately.

Then, he isn't given any time to defend himself. He can hear his spine crackle as the sudden force from behind him hits just above his tailbone.

The spider's kick sends Kurapika flying across the ballroom right into the fallen chandelier. He lands on his forearm first, then he tucks his head in and rolls over the beams from the ceiling that the chandelier brought down with it. Glass sticks into his skin as he pushes himself up.

He struggles to stand.

'_I'm fighting too recklessly… but I have no other choice. I have the opportunity to fight this spider alone.'_

Kurapika has lost sight of the spider again. He backs up onto the wall behind him as he recollects all the oxygen that he lost to the blow when the wind was knocked out of him. Carefully, he picks the glass from his shoulder while scanning the room.

But he is given a different distraction.

From the balcony stairs, Kurapika can see Killua retreating. And on the balcony, staring down at him, stands Chrollo Lucilfer.

Kurapika's eyes burn while staring into chrollo's grey eyes.

Beside him, he can see that the girl and the spider have retreated as well.

Chrollo speaks as his he is making a speech.

"Today marks the anniversary."

Kurapika inhales. The pain he feels in his chest is far more painful than any would he could endure.

That's right.

Today marks the anniversary of the great Kurta massacre.

His fists shake at his sides as he exclaims a phrase that he will regret.

"And today will mark the day that I slaughter _your_ family! Each spider in this building will die tonight!"

Chrollo smiles down at Kurapika with a humble expression that gives Kurapika a disturbing feeling of uneasiness. His seemingly friendly face is unnerving.

"Very well, then." Chrollo turns and begins to walk to an elevator on the balcony behind him. The Torturer meets eyes with him next, and the girl with the whistle stands next to him, staring at him with her emotionless eyes.

The torturer speaks out next.

"You want us?"

Kurapika answers with a grimace.

The torturer flashes a wicked smile while turning his back to him.

"Then come find us."

And as if on cue, each and every light in the Auselor Hotel goes off.


	26. Chapter 26

**Damn, I was gone a long time. Sorry for the wait! Finals are all over and it's finally summer! **

**In response to:**

**OoO: Hi! This was seriously one of the greatest reviews I've gotten oh my gosh, thank you! I intend for this fic to be very, very long. I have a lot of events planned to happen, and I believe revealing Fei's past would also be appropriate, and I've thought a little on the subject. I also intend to make Lu's past much clearer in the next few chapters. I'm also so happy you made note of the spider paintings! I meant for them to be a symbol, so look out for them in the future, because there's plenty more. Thank you for motivating me! I've been a lazy ass.**

**BK-207: Bruh, I had them exams. But here's the thingy for you, sorry for the wait! I definitely will not be abandoning this fic cx**

**Mi-Chan: Aw you're so cute! So much FeiLu ~**

**Rinrikapyon: The end of the ball? Nah, son! I'm way too evil for that~**

**Minako: I have really never thought of that… huh. I did intend for there to be a larger age gap between Chrollo and Lucius, that would be strange. I'm sorry! Perhaps in the future I can compensate with more FeiLu?**

**DelphiniumSweets: Dude this is like some some ADVANCED hide and seek.**

**Thaishi: I'm sorry for making you wait again T-T Im going through some things in my life and I needed to take care of things.**

**Forbidden Moons: Maybe, and Maybe not. Let's see how it plays out, shall we?**

**Not gonna lie, this chapter might crush you.**

**Heh.**

* * *

Chapter 26

The Ball- part 6

A forever fall.

Kurapika runs to the balcony stairs after Feitan and the girl. But before he can get any closer to the closing elevator doors, Killua catches up to him and grabs him by the arm, pulling him away.

"Kurapika! Calm down!" Killua struggles to hold the blonde back. "Come on! You know they're plotting something, It's so obvious!"

Kurapika spins to face him. His eyes seem to glow in the dark as he glares at him.

"Let me go! They're going to get away!"

"You'll get yourself killed! Stop acting so recklessly!"

"Oi, what's going on here?!"

Killua spins around as well. Approaching them is Gon, Melody and Leorio. Kurapika shakes in Killua's grasp as tears fall from his lowered face to the floor.

Killua ignores Kurapika's sobs as he loosens his grasp on Kurapika. Gon and Melody rush to Kurapika's side as Killua replies to Leorio.

"They've got control of the power, and they've scattered around the hotel."

Melody gives her attention to Kurapika's wounds, while Gon focuses on cheering him up.

"His wounds aren't too bad. They shouldn't be needing your attention for now, Leorio." Says Melody as she carefully removes another glass shard from Kurapika's shoulder.

"Maybe we should just leave and not play their stupid little game." Leorio seethes. "That crazy goth guy nearly killed him. There's no way he's going up against _all _of them tonight!"

Melody and Gon set Kurapika down onto the ballroom floor as they look back up at Killua and Leorio.

Killua's expression turns grim.

"_He_ may not fight tonight. But I'm taking down that girl tonight."

Leorio's head snaps to Killua.

"Are you crazy?! They're going to take you down together!"

"If Killua's fighting, then I'm fighting." Says Gon with a solemn nod. "Besides, we have to get them out of the hotel somehow."

"Leave that to the authorities!" Leorio yells back, crossing his arms. "He's hurt. What are we going to do if they all attack us at once?!"

Kurapika's loud crying has been reduced to silent sobs as he hides his face with his hands. Melody rubs his shoulder as she replies to Leorio.

"What if they start taking hostages from the hotel rooms?! Leorio, we have to do something about it!"

Leorio pinches the bridge of his nose. "Not you too…"

There is a short period of silence. During this silence, Kurapika stops sobbing and he stands, still looking down at his feet.

"...What else can we do…?"

The group looks to Kurapika. Melody nudges him with her thumb gently on his shoulder, beckoning him to continue.

"There's nothing _you_ can do." He says. "I shouldn't of brought you… and you shouldn't follow me."

Kurapika turns back and no one stops him.

But they do follow him, and he doesn't stop them either.

* * *

Lucius finds the atmosphere within the elevator to be strange.

Feitan's sight is fixed on the door ahead of them while Chrollo's is fixed on the book in his hands. She knows that they have a plan in mind. It just irks her that they haven't told her exactly what it is.

The ride upwards takes what seems like a century, although the elevator drops them off at only the third floor of the hotel, which is just a floor above the balcony to the ballroom.

The doors open up and the three step out into the third floor hallway. All around them are locked doors that lead to hotel rooms, all of which seem to be unlit like the rest of the hotel. Just down at the end of the hallway, Rei and Tadao stand waiting for them with scowls on their faces. It is clear to her that they do not like whatever new plan that is now in motion.

"Hey man, what the hell?" Tadao takes a step forward towards Chrollo. "I thought the plan we made back at the mansion was just fine!"

Chrollo walks past Tadao towards another elevator, pressing a button to the side and ignoring his rant.

"If he seems too strong for you, let him pass." Chrollo commands as the door opens. "Machi, Kalluto and Nobunaga will fight him on the next floor. If he can beat all of us and reach the top of the hotel, I'll let him kill me." Chrollo steps in and pulls out his book, staring down at it with a smile. As the doors close, he says one more thing to them. "Once you kill him, take his eyes."

A loud '_Ding!' _sounds the end of his explanation to them, and the four turn to each other.

"Do you have any idea what is going on?" Rei asks to Lucius and Feitan. Lucius gives a simple shrug, and Feitan doesn't answer at all. Rei groans. "That's fan-fuckin'-tastic!" She swings her hands to the back of her head and she paces down the hall. Tadao brings a hand to his chin.

"They told me somethin' earlier…" He says while looking up to the ceiling. "They told me that The Chain User's got friends who are Pro Hunters. Seems to me like they're taking a much more strategic approach instead of going the easy way like we planned."

Lucius leans up against the wall, clutching her violin case. She mentally kicks herself for almost forgetting it on the balcony. She sits on the carpeted floor and she opens the case carefully, making sure that none of the contents inside happened to be damaged. Thankfully, both her violin and her bow are unharmed.

While Feitan sits on the other side of the hallway and Rei and Tadao argue, Lucius takes out her handkerchief from the case and begins to wipe at the dust forming near the violin's strings. While she does this, Feitan looks up at her.

"Why that so important to you?"

Lucius glances up at him, then quickly back at her violin. "Why is your sword so important to you?"

Feitan looks back down at the floor and does not reply.

"It is just like your sword." She says while flipping the violin over on her lap. "I use it to defend myself. But unlike your sword…" She searches for the right way to phrase it. "It protects me in all situations. It is more dependable."

Feitan looks at her with a strange expression, as if what she had said made no sense. She finds no reason to explain to him. She figures that he would never understand either.

And he doesn't question her much more, so she assumes that he is in mutual understanding.

"God, what time is it?" Rei yawns, changing the subject.

"Must be around midnight. Damn, I'm tired too. I aint cooking for anyone when we get ho-"

'_Ding!'_

The figure dashes quickly past them as a black blur. Lucius jolts to her feet and directs her attention to the direction in which the figure goes, but it stops at the end of the hallway.

The Chain User looks back at them, his scarlet eyes seem to threaten them before he dashes to the right, ignoring the elevator and heading to the stairs instead.

All three Shadowmen move to follow after him, but Feitan calls out to them.

"Let Chain User go. We got other company."

The Shadowmen look back to the other open elevator. The child that Lucius had fought walks out accompanied by another child his age, with black spiked hair and dark brown eyes. The white haired child glares at Lucius, while the other seems quite lost.

"Let's play fair. One-on-one." Says the child with the white hair.

Tadao laughs. "Aw, they're cute. Rei, would you like to do the honors?"

Rei cracks her knuckles. "Hell yeah. I haven't gotten to do anything all day!"

Feitan looks at both parties in confusion but still says nothing.

Lucius takes a step forward. "If we are to be so organized," She says in a slightly mocking tone to the white haired child, "I will fight you on the balcony." She nods at Gon "He will fight Rei here."

* * *

Killua darkens his gaze at her. He hadn't expected them to comply so easily, let alone let Kurapika pass.

"Alright."

The girl spins on her heels towards the staircase, and the spider follows her. Killua then turns to the elevator behind him.

'_Feh. Guess he wants to watch his friend die.'_

Killua walks into the elevator and pushes the button to go down. He nods at Gon before the doors close.

The elevator doors open again, and he's not surprised to see that the girl and the spider had already beaten him to the balcony.

He steps out. There is an eerie silence as the two watch him approach. He stares back under a veil of uneasiness. Somehow, the atmosphere doesn't feel right to him.  
The spider turns and steps away from him and the girl, taking a seat near the stairs leading to the ballroom.

The girl stares back at him and for a moment, they stay that way until she drops the case in her arms.

"You asked for a fair fight." She says. "Physically, I am much weaker than you." She crouches and removes a violin from the case along with a bow. She tucks it under her chin. "Perhaps you would prefer to use a weapon as well?"

Killua narrows his eyes.

'_Weapon? Does she mean that violin?'_

"No." He replies. "You can use that all you want."

She nods, closes her eyes and she stands, waiting with the bow resting on the violin's strings.

And Killua finally attacks first.

He jumps at her with a fist packed with Nen. Curiously, she is able to jump away with ease with her eyes still closed. He attacks her with punches, and she seems to work her way around all of them. She does all of this while keeping the violin tucked under her chin. She hasn't even moved the bow.

He glances to the side, where the Spider watches his every move with an intense glare. Killua feels chills down his spine when he meets with the spider's grey eyes. He continues to throw random punches, and all the girl does is dodge. Killua keeps his eye on the Spider.

He can practically feel the bloodlust radiating around that Spider.

He does his best to ignore it while he sends a kick in the girl's direction, and she dodges again. But this time she does so by grabbing his leg and pushing herself up into the air, creating distance between them.

Then, he feels the familiar feeling of needles pricking his skin, as if all of his limbs had lost circulation.

Finally, the girl glides the bow over the strings of the violin.

The sound that Killua hears sounds nothing like a real violin. The sound that emits from the instrument sounds very distorted and random, but once Killua takes a step towards the girl, the sound becomes overwhelming.

She stands before him, and he cannot move towards her any longer.

* * *

Feitan watches as the vibrations in the air force the boy away from Lucius and he cant help but chuckle. She rendered him helpless with just one stroke. But what he wants to know is, can she keep him that way? Can she keep him in such a helpless state and keep him down long enough to finish him off quickly?

He pushes hair out of his eyes.

Or will she play with him? Will she do the same to the man she fought at the bar?

Feitan hopes for a good show.

The boy flinches and a wave of vibrations slashes at his skin.

So when Tadao said that her music cuts like a blade, he wasn't lying.

Suddenly, Lucius makes a swift movement towards the boy. The boy, who is still distraught from the sudden force of her music, had no time to defend himself. She jumps kicks at his side, careful to keep the violin out of reach of the boy. Feitan assumes that if the boy was able to swipe it out of her hands, she'd be reduced to pulling vibrations out of the sounds around her. In the event that would happen, she would most likely need his assistance. He was going to help her if things got too bad anyways, if he lost her, he'd lose his pleasure.

The boy seems to regain his strength and he is able to shield her next wall of kicks to his side with his arms. He then finds the next opportunity he can get to punch at her side, but she ducks under his arm and spins out of the way.

Feitan smirks.

It amuses him how she moves as if she was dancing.

His smirk vanishes when the '_Ding!_' of the elevator to his right distracts him.

Out of the elevator walks Kalluto and Tadao.

* * *

Kalluto hums to himself as he walks down the last step. The Chain User had just walked right past him, too fast for him or the other Spiders to see. He heard some commotion on the level below, and he had figured that a fight had broke out.

And he was right, of course.

Rei throws another punch at the boy, who is just barely able to jump out of the way. Instead of hitting the boy, her fist punches into the wall, cracking through the drywall.

On the sidelines, Tadao leans up against the wall, watching the two go at it with an amused smirk.

Kalluto approaches him.

"What's going on?"

"They wanted a fair fight." Says Tadao. "So we let them fight Lu and Rei."

Rei dodges another one of the boy's attacks.

"He's quick…" Kalluto watches the boy's movements before continuing. "Where is Lucius?"

"On the balcony, fighting some white haired kid." Tadao says. "He doesn't stand a chance. If she gets helpless, she'll use Death Waltz."

Kalluto's heart drops.

Under his breath, he whispers. "...Killua?"

Tadao arches an eyebrow. "What?"

Kalluto runs past the fight between the boy and Rei to the elevator on the other side of the hallway. He stabs at the 'down' button on the elevator in-between twitching and panicked movements.

His face goes pale. All he can think is: '_Oh god. Killua, he's here! He's fighting Lucius!' _and '_She can't possibly kill him. Can she?!' _

Tadao runs up from behind him as the elevator opens.

"Hey, what's up man? You alright?"

Kalluto ignores him as he runs into the elevator the moment that the doors open to allow him in. Tadao follows him and the doors close behind them.

* * *

"KILLUA!"

Lucius moves her head to the direction of the scream but still she can see nothing underneath her closed eyelids, and the boy seems equally confused. But he sees the opportunity, and he kicks her in the stomach. She had no time to protect herself with Nen. She stiffens as blood sprouts between her closed lips.

She ignores the source of the scream and jabs at the boy again.

A mistake that she will regret.

A force comes from her side, and she knows it couldn't have possibly come from the boy across from her. Her other side collides with the railing of the balcony and she finally opens her eyes. She looks to her side, where Kalluto's hands had pushed her. She lets out a yelp as she feels gravity pull her down the other side of the balcony.

She can hear her name being called as she falls.

She clutches her violin close and sooner than she could prepare for, her back hits hard onto the marble floor and she can feel the blood ooze from her esophagus to her mouth and into the air, landing back onto her face as the back of her head smacks against the floor.

Her body goes limp and she falls unconscious.

* * *

Feitan pushes a confused scream out of his mouth. For the first time, he screams her name. He lets Kalluto run off with the boy down the stairs as he looks over at her body which is spread over a collapsed piano. Blood pools around her head and spills out of her mouth.

He feels a tang of pain that he cannot understand, which is quickly replaced with anger. But before he can pursue the boy and Kalluto, he is distracted by something else.

Just below, Feitan can see The Chain User hunched over Lucius.

Feitan finds that he cannot move. He's too shocked.

The Chain User must have tricked them. Instead of moving up a level of the hotel to fight Chrollo, he must have made his way back to the ballroom. And apparently, Kalluto was working with him.

Feitan jumps over the balcony when he realizes that The Chain User had flung Lucius over his shoulder and ran off.

He only gets a hint of what direction he had taken her when the entrance doors to the hotel had shut, and The Chain User and his friends had gotten away.

With Lucius.


	27. Chapter 27

**I aint got much to say today… so to the responses, then the chapter!**

**Chiikaboom: Thank you so much! I'm actually really proud of this story so far, I usually trash stories in the earliest chapters so this means a lot! And boy did I try hard to make sure Lucius didn't turn out a mary-sue… making characters is something I think I'm good at.**

**Guest: You know, I'm still not really sure if I'm going to put any sexual content in this story. I find that I'm very uncomfortable on the topic, but I'm still curious as to how it would turn out. So I'm gonna leave that at a maybe… I'm sorry that I'm not able to give you a straight answer!**

**Rinrikapyon: I hope the gore wasn't overboard. I usually write horror-esque scenes so it's quite hard not to go overboard. I hope I didn't crush you too hard, heh. Also: It's about damn time, Feitan! I can be sure that I can update every week from now on, maybe twice a week if I'm feeling up to it -v-**

**Frizzler: ...Maybe I did cx**

**Mi-Chan: You're pretty good at guessing, but things may turn out quite different than you think. I promise that you will not be disappointed! And aww, I Hope you have an amazing day ahead of you!**

* * *

Chapter 27

"Kurapika?! What the hell are you doing?!"

Kurapika pushes the bleeding girl across the laps of Melody, Gon, Killua and Killua's brother who are all squeezed into the back of the small vehicle before slamming the door behind him and making his way to the other side of the vehicle and sitting in the front. He ignores Leorio's shouting and questioning.

"Just drive!"

As Leorio slams on the gas pedal, Kurapika looks back at the Auselor Hotel, expecting to see the Troupe running after them. Curiously, the hotel's doors remain closed and the building seems to stand in an eerie sort of stillness. Kurapika turns his head once he can no longer see the hotel after Leorio drives off.

"Kurapika, she's bleeding all over!" Yells Melody.

"Kurapika, what the hell?!" Killua shifts in his seat, trying to inch away from the girls head, which lays on his lap, bleeding onto his shorts.

"Just shut up okay?!" Kurapika screams over his shoulder, instantly silencing the ones in the back. "I have everything under control! Just trust me!"

Kurapika bites at his nails, staring into his reflection in the passenger door's window. The others look at each other nervously. In-between worried stares and the silence, Gon seems to notice something.

"...Where's Neon?"

The car screeches to a halt, and thankfully, so do the cars behind them. Kurapika curses aloud and looks back at Gon and Killua.

"Get out and find her!" He then looks at Leorio. "I'll drive, get in the back and make sure that girl stays alive!"

"What do I do?!" Kalluto holds his hands up and glances nervously at Killua, then back at the red-eyed Kurapika.

Kurapika just glares back at him. "You have explaining to do. You were working with them, after-all!"

Kalluto waves his hands around. "No, no! I only joined to find Killua!"

"I don't care! Everyone else do what you're told! Melody, help Leorio!"

The group doesn't hesitate. Everyone gets out of the vehicle. Gon and Killua head back to the hotel, and Leorio sits in the back of the car next to the girl's head and Melody sits at the other head while Kalluto sits in the passenger seat and Kurapika takes the wheel.

He can only hope that they arrive at the Nostrade mansion safely, with no further incident. He looks back at the girl laying on the back seat, who sturs and moans, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth.

* * *

_She only remembers being praised for doing something horrible. _

_She remembers Hiro sitting her down in a room that was only big enough to call a closet. Across from her sat a beaten man tied to a chair. And alongside her sat a violin. _

_She was familiar with the instrument, but this one was newer than the one in her bedroom, and it was even more beautiful. She could not stop staring at it until the man across from her groaned, which startled her. Hiro put a hand on her shoulder._

"_It's yours, Lucius. But only if you do what I say. Are we clear, darling doll of mine?"_

"_Yes father. What must I do?"_

_Hiro lifted the violin into her hands and smiled._

"_When I leave this room, I want you to do exactly what I taught you with this violin. Play the song that I taught you two weeks ago, but make sure that I cannot hear it. Understood?"_

_She nodded and held her hand out for the bow that he held in his other hand. He didn't give it to her until he uttered one last instruction._

"_Promise me that you won't stop playing until the song is over. No matter what."_

"_Yes father. I promise."_

_Hiro shut the door behind him, leaving both Lucius and the beaten man across from her in darkness. She waited a few moments before lifting the violin to her chin while admiring the instrument. _

_It will be hers, but first she must play for this man. She knew better than to ask questions. _

_The man seemed to wake up the moment she plays the first note. He muttered something that she cannot hear over her own music. A few minutes into the song, she remembered what her father taught her to do. She squeezed her eyes tight and focused. Soon, she could feel it around her hands. _

_Something Hiro called 'Nen.'_

_Then, it filled the air, glowing around her and the man. Once the man felt her Nen, he became immediately distraught. She payed no mind to this and continued to play. She felt no need to stop, but she was beginning to feel uneasy. _

_The man across from her began to grunt and shout profanities at her, which scared her. Unknowingly, she began to pump more Nen out of her system and through the violin then into the air. _

_Unknowingly, she began to bend the vibrations._

_The man began to scream, and at first she thought it was out of anger. _

_But as she continued to play, she began to realize that his screaming wasn't at all hostile towards her._

_No._

_In fact, he was scared. He was begging and pleading for her to stop with tears streaming from underneath his blindfold._

_And yet, she continued to play. _

_Not because she wanted the violin so badly, but because she, too, was afraid._

_Afraid of the consequences. _

_And afraid of herself._

_She remembers jumping out of her chair, backing into the wall behind her and sobbing while continuing the song, all while watching the man suffer._

_And she remembers that she had to bear no consequence. _

_She remembers being praised. She remembers sniffling while Hiro ruffled her hair and kissed her on the forehead. She remembers Hiro wiping her tears from her cheeks. She remembers him looking into her eyes, telling her that he was proud._

_She knew even then that that praise was horribly staged. She knew that he never felt pride in her._

_But she felt drunk on that praise._

* * *

Feitan stares down at the floor as the rest of the spiders assemble around him. For some reason, he can't utter a word although he had seen everything happen with his own eyes.

"He… pushed her off of the balcony?!" Rei brings a hand over her mouth while she stares at the puddle of blood on the floor. "...Is she alive?! Why did they take her?!"

"How the hell should I know! All I know is what I saw!" Tadao yells back, obviously very panicked as well. "It's your fault!" Tadao points a finger at Chrollo. "If you hadn't changed plans all of a sudden, Lucius would be just fine!"

Nobunaga reacts to this by activating his Nen. "Hey, asshole! It's the traitor's fault, alright?! He was working with them the entire time, just when we were beginning to trust him!"

Tadao activates his Nen as well, but Chrollo holds his hand out, earning their attentionl.

"It is our fault that your teammate was taken."

"B-but Boss-"

"No buts! It's our own fault that we failed to realize that Kalluto was a traitor sooner."

"So what the hell are you going to do about it, huh?!" Rei spats out at him. "You are going to take responsibility, aren't you?!"

"Hey! You're getting on my nerves!" Nobunaga clenches a fist and Phinks looks at her nervously.

'_We have to find her.' _Feitan thinks. But he cannot say it out loud, and he does not know why.

Is it because he is embarrassed? Or shocked?

He clenches his teeth.

No. He has no reason to be embarrassed, right?

Then why can't he speak?

"Of course we're taking responsibility." Chrollo turns to Rei and Tadao. "I will contact Argo and explain the situation." He takes out a cellphone from his pants pocket and brings it to his ear while continuing the explanation. "We will find her."

Feitan looks up at the door ahead of him. Mentally, he thanks Chrollo a thousand times.

And at the same time, he feels so pathetic.

* * *

Gon crosses his arms as the two walk down the street. He breaks the silence that overcame them the moment Kurapika sped off.

"What do you think Kurapika is going to do with that girl?"

Killua yawns and stretches his arms into the air. "Probably interrogate her. That way we'll find out where the spiders are hiding."

"Maybe… What if she lies?"

"Who knows? Kurapika isn't crazy enough to hurt her or torture it out of her either for that matter. She really isn't a spider, afterall."

"What if she doesn't know?"

"Huh?"

"What if she doesn't know where they're hiding?"

"Then he'll probably use her as a hostage at some point. Or at least, that's what I would do. You weren't really there, but one of the spiders called after her when she fell… the one that Kurapika was fighting. The crazy one."

"Yeah I know who you're talking about."

"He ran over to the side of the balcony. I think he actually cared about her. If I were Kurapika, I would probably use that to my advantage." Killua looks around as they approach the Auselor Hotel. The entire street including the buildings around the hotel seems to be deserted.

"Did they evacuate the whole street?" Asks Gon.

"Probably. The Troupe is crazy enough to qualify as terrorists."

Gon looks up into the starry night sky.

"How was that fight with that girl, by the way?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. She wasn't all that scary. She was really strong but, she didn't do anything out of the ordinary."

"huh. Well, time to find where they evacuated Neon."

"Yeah."

* * *

The car comes to a complete stop at the Nostrade Estate. Kurapika slams his door shut and helps Leorio carry Lucius up the stairs and into the house. Kalluto steps out of the car last, following the woman called Melody up the driveway.

He can't help but feel that the whole situation is a bit unsettling.

What if the boy named Kurapika snaps and attacks him?

'_He's my brother's friend. Maybe Killua will help me change his mind."_

He stops as another unsettling thought crosses his mind.

'_What happens when Lucius wakes up and sees me? Will she kill me for what I did?'_

He also can't help but feel horrible for what he did to Lucius, especially after she offered him his kindness and dressed him up. And what would Ume think?

Kalluto isn't one to disappoint his mother, but he can't deny that playing with the child was fun. Acting his age was fun. Having a friend was fun.

And to think that he betrayed the two friends that he made on his journey, just like Illumi said he would if he ever dared make a friend.

The woman named Melody stops before stepping up the stairs and looks back at him.

At first, Kalluto was certain that the woman was an imp, or some kind of creature of the sort.

"I can tell that you're uncomfortable. Don't worry about Kurapika. He won't hurt you."

"Aren't you afraid?" He asks, looking at the woman with pleading eyes. "I was with the Phantom Troupe…"

"Yes, but you helped us and Killua recognized you. I'm aware that you're a friend and not a foe."

And with that, Melody turns and steps inside the home of the Nostrade family.

Hesitantly, Kalluto follows.


	28. Chapter 28

**Hello lovelies! I meant to start this chapter yesterday but I had some other things to do. Anyways,**

**In response to:**

**Lili: I'm happy you like it!**

**Mi-Chan: Yes, Lucius will have a scene where she learns much more, and a scene where she does perform Death Waltz. Don't worry, Lucius is by no means weak and I made it seem this way on purpose and you'll find out why! And I'd hope it was cute that he's actually worrying, How do you write a torturer, who happens to be one of the cruelest in the phantom troupe, in love? Well, I'm gettin' there.**

**Rinrikapyon: Well, he did kinda push Lucius off of a balcony and he did kind of run off with the chain user, lmao but he'll do anything for Killua, it seems.**

* * *

Chapter 28

Blood trickles from the corner of her mouth, down her chin and neck as her body suddenly twitches, jolting her awake. Her eyes flutter open slowly and she coughs, trying to swallow the dried blood from the back of her throat that causes her to choke. She doesn't dare move, as every small movement produced by the twitching of her body sends pain up and down her spine like electricity.

She wants move her hand to check the back of her head, which pounds as if she had been hit in the back of the skull with a sledgehammer, but she finds that her arms and legs have been restrained to a wooden chair where she sits.

Although her blurred vision does not allow her to see exactly where she is, she can tell that the room she is in is large, and brightly lit.

And she can tell that she is not alone.

The room is quiet, but it isn't silent. From behind her, she can hear the breath of a stranger.

She coughs again, alarming the stranger. She can hear that the individual stands and backs away.

"Kurapika… Kurapika she's awake!"

The man's voice alarms another stranger, who enters the room quickly and rushes in front of her. All she can see of the individual is a blue and golden blurred silhouette.

She can tell from the blur's shaky breath that they feel hostility towards her.

But she soon finds out that 'they' is really a 'he.'

He speaks to her with a feminine voice, and at first she thought the boy in front of her was a grown woman, but his voice is familiar and she can imagine his face in her head.

But this confuses her.

She can't seem to remember _how _she knows him, as she can't remember interacting with him ever in her life.

The boy speaks to her.

"Where.. Is.. the Phantom Troupe?!" He yells at her in between heavy breaths, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her entire body.

She yelps as the pain paralyzes her. She only moves with the boy's hands as they shake her and the chair back and forth.

"Kurapika! Cut that out and calm down!"

The other man behind her moves to apprehend the boy, prying his fingers off of her shoulders. The man is dressed in black.

"Get a hold of yourself, idiot! You could knock her out again!" The man continues to hold the boy, who at first fought back, but slowly he calms. Once the boy named Kurapika ceases to resist, the man lets him go. "Killua's brother said that he had no clue where their base was, all he said was-"

"I get it! I know! Kalluto is no help, but he said this girl would know!"

"That doesn't mean you can torture her, okay?! Especially after I spent three days fixing her up."

She closes her eyes.

Three days… That must mean that she has been unconscious for three days. She exhales, calming herself.

What happened to her three days ago?

"I never implied that I would torture her! Let me handle this alone, Leorio!"

This silences the man named Leorio, and he backs away from the boy slowly.

"Fine, I'll leave but you're not handling this alone. I'm calling Melody down here, in case you freak out again. She's better at handling you than I am."

"Fine."

The older male turns and walks out of the room. He returns shortly with a short, plump figure wearing green and leaves the room alone. She blinks wildly at the two figures in front of her, trying to gather as much information about their physical appearances that her blurred vision will allow her.

The two figures shuffle around a bit, dragging two chairs in front of her and sitting. The boy with golden hair holds his head and stares at the floor, while the other figure seems to silently watch him.

Although it is difficult for her to keep her head up, as the pain in her spine and the back of her head nags at her to relax, she stares at the boy cautiously.

A bead of sweat inches down her forehead.

What should she do?

She can't free herself, not now. Having suffered such a serious injury, she can't even move a finger without feeling as though she had been shocked with electricity.

Should she negotiate?

No, the boy is in no mood to negotiate with her. Not right now, at least. She can tell.

She bites her lower lip as she continues to listen to the boy's breathing. In case he becomes violent and his breathing gets faster, she'll at least have a few seconds to react.

But suddenly, his breathing slows, and the boy looks up at her. She can see that his eyes are red.

"You." He says. "What is your name?"

"Lucius Dupont." She replies calmly.

The woman beside him mutters her name under her breath, as if she recognized it. "...Dupont?"

"Lucius Dupont." The boy spats her name. "What is your affiliation with the Phantom Troupe?"

She furrows her brow.

"P-Phantom Troupe?"

Is that some sort of gang? As far as she knew, not even her father has any affiliation with any gangs.

"Don't play dumb." the boy says in a forced calm manner. "At the Auselor Hotel. Three nights ago. You were with the Phantom Troupe, fighting me."

She frowns. "I do not know what you are speaking about."

"Don't lie!" He growls, standing from his chair. "I'm going to get this information out of you one way or another! It's no use playing dumb!" The boy walks towards her and puts a hand on the chair she sits on. "Now answer me truthfully."

The boy is close to her face now, and she can smell mint off of his breath.

"What is your affiliation with the Phantom Troupe, and where are they hiding?!"

She closes her eyes and repeats herself.

"I do not know what you are speaking about."

"Don't lie to me!"

She can feel his grip around her neck as he pushes her and the chair she is restrained to into a wall behind her. The woman gasps and shouts for him to stop.

"Kurapika! She isn't lying!"

The boy ignores her and continues to tighten his grip. Lucius gasps and chokes out an apology for the sake of survival but the boy ignores it and just grips tighter, sending signals to her spine to ache even more. The wall pushes at the back of her head, pain causing her eyes to water only a little.

"Kurapika stop, she isn't lying to you!"

The boy screams and the man dressed in black bursts into the room, immediately rushing to restrain the boy. The boy's fingers slip from her neck and she gasps and sucks in as much air as she can. She can feel the blood return to warm her cheeks as she catches her breath. Once she is back in a stable state, she looks up to see that the woman and the older male have successfully calmed the boy down.

"Melody... " the boy whispers, but it doesn't fail to reach Lucius's ears. "What do you mean she isn't lying…?"

"Leorio predicted that she would have memory loss after that fall. She isn't lying to you."

Memory loss?

"Is that so…?" The boy staggers as if he had no energy at all. "Then… what are we going to do with her?"

The three look at her, and she looks down, ignoring their stares.

"It should be temporary, but it could take months for her to regain her memory." Replies the older male.

"We can't just leave her, either." Says the woman.

"I agree. The way that one spider looked at her, I would say that she could serve as a valuable hostage." The boy replies.

Spider?

"I meant… It would be cruel to leave her out on the street so terribly injured. It would be wrong." The woman says. "But I suppose if you think about it that way... "

Another voice is heard. A child's voice.

"I have an idea!"

* * *

"Gon… we can't do that. She was helping the Phantom Troupe! You think if we just be nice to her, she'll be our friend and she'll give us all the information we need when she regains her memory and everything will be just sunshine and rainbows?!"

"That's exactly what I mean." Gon replies to leorio as he sits at the kitchen table.

The six of them sit at the table with him in the kitchen, two rooms away from Lucius.

Killua facepalms, Leorio sighs and Melody chuckles. He receives no reaction out of Kurapika, who is staring at his reflection in the polished wooden table and Kalluto looks up.

"Actually, that could work." He says.

"Why do you say that, Kalluto?" Killua asks.

"Well… She's not a horrible person. She comes from a group similar to the Phantom Troupe but they're not as famous and really, they do more underground work than they do steal. She told me that she isn't nice, but I don't believe her. She was really kind to me because she had no reason to hate me."

"You kind of shoved her off of a balcony. She has a reason to hate you now." Killua says matter of factly.

"Shut up Kil, I saved you. You owe me!"

Killua sticks his tongue out at his brother in response.

"My point is." Kalluto continues. "If we're kind and we can get her to have a change of heart, like Gon said, then we wont have to worry about anything. And I don't want her to hate me anyways."

"And she won't be bad anymore!" Gon concludes.

"Kalluto… this group you were talking about… who are they?"

Kalluto looks up at Kurapika.

"The Desdemona Shadowmen."

"Figures. Never heard of em'." Says Leorio. "Are they dangerous?"

"Well, apparently there's a lot of members. I've only met four of them. But Lucius is definitely dangerous, along with their leader for sure."

Kurapika looks back down at his reflection.

"Well, it seems like the only thing we can do now. I don't know if I can be really nice to her but I'll try." Says Killua while resting his head in his hand and his elbow on the table.

"I'm down as long as she doesn't kill me." Says Leorio. "I'll continue to treat her injuries as well."

Gon looks at Kurapika.

"What do you think?"

Kurapika stands from his chair, but he does not look back.

"Do what you want."

Then, he proceeds to walk upstairs into his bedroom.

Killua ponders to himself.

"...Don't people who lose their memory forget their names?"

Kalluto answers him with a playful tone

"Not all the time, idiot."

* * *

Feitan sits atop the mansion's roof, staring up into the stars in the night sky wondering why he feels so empty.

He lost his only source of pleasure, sure. But for some reason that doesn't sting as bad as the fact that Lucius is, in fact, gone.

It's not as if he is crushed. Not like the little girl was when the Troupe and the Shadowmen returned from the Hotel when she learned that Lucius was gone.

It's too hard to admit to himself. He can't even admit that he is in denial.

If he went to her bedroom, would she be there to speak to him? Would she appear as if nothing ever happened? Would she challenge him when he insulted her like she always did? Would she laugh lightly at his angry demands, and demand something in return like she has for the past months?

Why does he miss such annoying things?

Why is the strange, new pleasure from listening to her speak words that he couldn't understand so much more important than the pleasure that she rewarded him afterwards?

He groans.

He turns to the owner of the footsteps that approach from behind him.

"You can't sit up here and mope forever."

"Shut up, Phinks."

"Come on, don't deny it. You're moping."

Phinks walks up and takes a seat next to him.

"You missed the meeting." He says to him. "We haven't come up with a definite solution yet, but we're setting aside pros and cons."

Feitan ignores him.

"Why is she so important to you anyway? All you did was push her around."

"No." Feitan replies. "She no let me push her around."

"You must hate that."

Feitan doesn't deny that, nor does he agree. In fact, he doesn't know how he feels about that.

Phinks repeats himself.

"Why is she so important to you?"

Feitan shrugs.

"You're confusing, but you're taking it much worse than the Shadowmen or Rei. You've got yourself all cooped up in your room during the day, for the past three days, and you climb up here at night and you've barely eaten and you just stare off like-"

"Phinks, I confused."

"Huh?"

"I confused."

"I know that but explain."

"I hate her but-"

"You love her." Phinks interrupts. "You hate her but you love her."

Feitan is angered by this, and begins to refuse but Phinks interrupts again.

"No, don't even try to deny it. You're impressed by her, aren't you? You like it when she challenges you, don't you? You like it when she angers you, even when it's on accident and you hate that you love it. You hate that you love her."

Feitan wants to deny but he finds that he cannot speak.

"Well?" Says Phinks. "You don't have to nod or say yes or anything, because we both know it's true." Phinks stands in his spot. "You want her back, don't you? ...You're a thief, Fei. If you want something, take it."

And with that, Phinks turns and leaves Feitan alone on the roof of the mansion.

* * *

**Phinks knows his shit.**


	29. Chapter 29

**Hey guys! I am super excited for you to see what I have in store for you in this story in the future~ But for now, to the responses!**

**In response to:**

**Guest: ****Thank you! I'm happy I could make you smile!**

**Forbidden Moons: Like I said before… I'm really excited for you to see what's in store!**

**DelphiniumSweets: ****Yeah that's gonna suck. Finding out that the girl you have a crush on just forgets all about you would be harsh. Lmao I'd be scared if I was Kalluto, but his brother was about to be killed and the way I see it, Kallu loves the shit outta Killua. RIP in pieces Kallu!**

**Mi-Chan:** **Yeah, things are getting pretty poopy for Fei, he has no way of feeling pleasure, meaning both his sadism and the pleasure he found in Lucius. I'd be pissed if I were him!**

**Rinrikapyon: Thank you so much, I'm glad you loved it! I first thought people would hate the fact that she lost her memory, but it's big for the plot. And d'awww, you're too nice! here's more of that shit you wanted~**

* * *

Chapter 29

...Love?

Feitan crinkles his nose, throwing his art book across his bedroom while falling onto his back on his bed.

Is that what caused this increasing sense of dread that pounded in his chest? If so, he wants to tell himself that he doesn't want it.

But he can't.

Why is the idea of him and Lucius being close sound so appealing to him?

He can admit, only after spending time alone with her in her bedroom while she spoke to him, that the girl wasn't as annoying as he thought she was before. Her light teasing was only meant to be playful, just like any time that he and Shalnark ever teased Phinks. Sure it would piss him off, but he and Shalnark always found enjoyment in it; and Phinks never held grudges against them.

And although Feitan would get angry, he and Lucius only seemed to get closer after such interactions. And she was always kind to him. She never feared him. And she'd laugh when he was angry. It wasn't annoying laughter, but it was always just a little chuckle. And she'd smile.

He groans and itches his eyes, staring out into the ray of sunlight that emits from the window above him, highlighting all the specs of glittering dust above his head.

Of course, her smile would vanish so quickly, and she'd return to something like an emotionless shell.

God, he can't get her out of his head. And, he figures he never will since all he hears when he leaves his room is her name being spoken.

All the Shadowmen are concerned about is getting Lucius back, and Chrollo promised them that the Troupe would help in the search, and so far neither of the groups had come up with any plan that could prove to be successful.

He won't be able to avoid any thoughts of her.

If that's the case…

He rises from his bed and throws on his clothes before leaving his room silently.

* * *

Her own stomach growling awakens her. She lets out a small moan before opening her eyes.

She finds herself quite comfortable and she also finds that she is able to move more without hurting herself too badly. When she sits up from her laying position, she is a bit shocked to see that she was left unrestrained on what seems to be a queen size bed.

Her vision is still blurred, but beside her, she can see two small figures sitting on the floor.

They appear to be two children playing a card game.

One of the figures, who is wearing green, stands upon noticing that she is awake.

"Oh, hi! We were waiting for you to wake up!"

The other one, who has white hair, stands as well. Lucius notices that he avoids making eye contact with her, or looking at her in general.

She thinks very carefully before reacting.

She figures that she must be careful in this situation. The room she is in could be monitored, and the blonde boy could be listening in on their conversation.

She replies to the boy quietly. "...Hello."

The boy climbs up and sits on the end of the bed, beaming at her.

"Is your head feeling any better?"

Strange, she had nearly forgotten about her head injury. The only thing she can feel that throbs on her body is her spine.

She slowly and hesitantly lifts her hand to feel the bandages wrapped around her head.

"...Yes." She replies. "I can.. barely feel it."

"That's good! Oh, I'm Gon by the way!" The boy motions to the other boy standing beside him"This is Killua." He laughs. "Kurapika told me that your name is Lucius."

Lucius scans the room for the blonde boy. Gon notices her sudden alert and he lets out a nervous chuckle.

"Ah, oh, yeah. You see, you don't need to be afraid of him. I'm sorry he attacked you…" He rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. "He sorta has problems and… well, now that you don't remember anything, it's pointless for him to hurt you."

"If that is the case, am I allowed to leave?"

"Well… not really."

* * *

Gon is surprised to see that the bad news had no effect on the girl at all. Her facial expression remained flat and emotionless.

"You see, you were working with some really bad people and we can't let you leave and have them find you, because you could tell them where we are or anything like that."

The girl seems to think over his words for a minute before responding again.

Although her expression remains emotionless, she speaks with an ounce of pain in her voice that Killua doesn't seem to notice. She speaks to him with a noticeable accent that she tries hard to hide

"You… you do not understand." She grips the comforter. "I could tell you about things that happened when I was young… I do not remember anything else." Gon can tell that the girl is trying her best to tell the complete truth. "I know these things are in the past…" She pauses to think for a moment. "But assuming my situation at my home has not changed, I must leave, or I will face consequences."

Gon smiles. "I'm sure your family is very worried, and I'm sorry-"

"No." she interrupts him firmly. "You do not understand, I must leave now or the consequences will only be worse in the future."

Gon sighs.

Suddenly Killua stands from beside him and moves to the door.

"Killua, where are you-"

"She means that if she's gonna go home, someone's gonna hurt her."

Gon is taken aback by this.

Killua walks out the door, and Gon turns to look at the girl.

Her eerie expression has not changed.

He shifts nervously.

"U-Um… just ignore him! You see, he fought you and stuff and you didn't really leave a good impression on him either… b-but that's okay! Since you forgot and we know that you won't hurt us or anything, you can have a fresh start!"

She gives him a sort of curious look.

"How do you know that I will not hurt you?"

He blinks and he thinks for a moment. He hasn't thought about that at all!

"Well…" He fumbles over his words. "If you wanted to hurt me, I would think that you would have done it by now."

She looks down.

* * *

That is true. She couldn't hurt him now even if she tried.

Although she had thought that it was the fault of her injury, even after recovering a bit she finds that she cannot use her Nen.

It's not that she has forgotten how to use Nen either.

She just can't unleash it.

She changes the subject to avoid questioning.

"Your friend is smart, but I am afraid that it is not the case."

She lied.

Although she would love for them to believe that she was weak so that she could attack when her Nen returns, she finds that she would rather talk to this boy without him looking down upon her.

At home with her father, she remembers that she had little to no interactions with children (although she knows that by now she has aged quite a bit) and there is something in the innocent eyes of this child that reminds her of someone…

Someone she can't remember.

"Well that would be bad if someone would hurt you… then I would ask Kurapika if you could stay with us forever!"

...Stay?

She looks down at her hands which lay on her lap.

If she stayed, would she be free? No longer would she need to service her father and she could avoid the beatings that Gaku would give her if she misbehaved.

But would Kurapika hate her?

Would it be considered betrayal if she stayed? Would it be betrayal to tell them all that she remembers and live freely with them?

"...Gon, was it?"

"Yes!"

"I'm sorry that I hurt your friends."

But, there was the fact that she did live in what is considered the upper-class in society. She was never left unfed unless she misbehaved. She was never left alone, always accompanied by a butler or maid unless she misbehaved. She was allowed to walk out in the garden only when accompanied by a maid, butler or her father as long as she never misbehaved.

Is that considered a good life to normal people?

But when she did misbehave…

"That's okay now!"

She is slightly shocked to hear the boy say this. He continues.

"If you promise to not do all that bad stuff, you're welcome to live with us until you gain all of your memories again! That way, you'll be living a clean life, and you can tell us all the stuff you remember about the bad guys you were hanging around with and… we'll be friends too!"

She furrows a brow.

This boy definitely reminds her of someone she knows…

So innocent and bright.

But a bit naive…

She needs to remember.

"You do realize… I could be lying… right?"

"I know, but I feel like you're trustworthy."

What is this? Reverse psychology? He is so confident that she will not betray him. She almost pities him for being so trusting.

She sighs.

"How can I prove to your friend that I promise that I will not betray you?"

She needs to be strategic about this. Even if they end up hating her, she would be promised a free life if she told them everything.

"Well… my friend Melody can tell when people are lying from their heartbeats!"

* * *

"...What was that, Feitan? Could.. you repeat?"

"Tell me what love is like."

Phinks itches his scalp, looking down at the smaller spider in disbelief.

He had never thought that Feitan would have taken him seriously, even if Phinks _was truthfully _dead serious as he was when he had told him the other night.

"Um.. well.." Phinks stares back at Feitan, who is glaring daggers at him. "Would you rather come inside and do this in private instead of out in the fucking hallway?"

Feitan nods and Phinks sighs, swinging his bedroom door open so that Feitan can slip inside.

Feitan then takes a seat on his bed.

"I didn't think you'd admit it…" Phinks slides over a chair from near the closet to his right and sits on it backwards.

Feitan looks away crossing his arms, seemingly angry and flustered.

"Just… tell me what it like."

"Um… well…" How the hell should he know? He just knows that he thinks Rei is really hot and kind of nice sometimes, how does he explain that to Feitan, the tiny torturer who's basically the embodiment of hatred? "Well… when you like someone- er um, _love _someone… it can kinda suck sometimes. But for the most part, it's nice. For example… one person will give the other affection to make the other happy or sometimes all they have to do is talk and you just feel happy to hear them talk. Sometimes the other person is really attractive… I mean, Lucius is cute… when she's not being weird… right?"

Feitan seems to frown.

"What that supposed to mean?"

Phinks didn't expect such sudden defense from him.

"Uh well I mean, sometimes she creeps me out because she's so silent and she just kind of stares… but, she's cute right? She's a cute tiny… frilly… girl."

Honestly, Phinks is convinced that Feitan's a lolicon. With how short Lucius is and how she dresses like a doll, you'd expect pedophiles to be all over her, as she is older than she looks. But, all Feitan has been doing since the girl disappeared was mope, so he had to stay positive to avoid a pissy Feitan; and a pissy Feitan is never fun.

Feitan looks down.

"I guess... "

"So you agree?"

Feitan just grumbles and looks to the side again. Phinks can notice a bit of a blush appearing on the bridge of his nose. He can't help but smile.

"I can't help you if you're going to be difficult, Fei."

Feitan snaps.

"I said yes! I said yes so you stop asking now!"

Phinks laughs and holds out his hands, attempting to calm the frustrated spider.

"Okay, okay! So that just means that you're attracted to her. It's okay it's normal. Now that we got that down, we can get into other business." Phinks cracks his knuckles and prepares for another one of Feitan's angry rants. "So.. would you say that she makes you happy?"

Surprisingly, Feitan is not angered by this.

"She make me angry but… I like listening to her."

Phinks is almost stunned to get a completely honest answer out of him. He lets Feitan continue.

"She not stupid like most girls Chrollo flirt with. She never angry at me. I not able to annoy her. That what make me angry."

Phinks chuckles nervously.

"I might not be the best person to talk to about this… maybe you should talk to Chrollo."

Feitan just nods.

Suddenly, Phinks gets a grand idea.

"Hey Fei?"

"Hm?"

"Would you ever get in bed with Lucius?"

A devious smile grows on Phinks's face as he watches Feitan's expression go from gentle confusion, to hostility.

"I go to Chrollo alone!"

Feitan slams Phinks's bedroom door shut behind him, nearly knocking it off of its hinges.

Phinks chuckles to himself.


	30. Chapter 30

**Hey guys, I have moved the responses to the bottom. I received more reviews than I thought I would and I extended a response. Anyway, thank you so much for 100+ reviews!**

* * *

Chapter 30

Lucius sits on a white modern couch across from Kurapika, who doesn't even look back up at her. Next to her sits Gon accompanied by the woman named Melody.

Is she supposed to speak first?

How can she? Was it not Kurapika who attacked her although she spoke the truth?

She turns to Gon for guidance, but he's already distracted by Melody, as he is speaking to her in a hushed voice.

Of course, their conversation does not slip by Lucius's sharp ears. Thankfully, the boy is only explaining the situation. Lucius _had_ expected him to betray her in some way.

Perhaps she could actually trust them.

Melody clears her throat before speaking.

"Ah.. Kurapika? Lucius has a promise to make."

Kurapika's eyes twitch. He looks up at her, his eyes glowing crimson blobs through her blurred vision.

She feels threatened by his gaze and she does not speak. Gon nudges her.

"Go on. It's okay."

Lucius thinks before speaking, hoping to avoid angering the blonde further than she already has.

* * *

Kurapika notices the girl's hesitation and he lifts his chin, suppressing the urge to kill her before she can speak. Instead, he urges her to go on by nodding in her direction.

Her empty eyes dart away to the floor as she speaks.

"I am unaware of the group you associated me with."

Kurapika looks away from her and to Melody, who nods; confirming that she is not lying. He looks back and nods for her to continue.

"I am also unaware of who you, and your friends are."

Melody nods towards him again. She continues.

"I am unaware as to if the current state at my home has changed. If at all possible, I wish to not return there at all."

Melody nods.

"I am also unable to use Nen in my current state." She pauses, and he looks to Melody for a confirmation, but she suddenly continues. "And my vision is horrible. I believe if I were to use my Nen to attack you, I would have very poor accuracy."

Melody seems to listen for a moment, and then nods.

He narrows his eyes. He feels relieved that at least she is not a threat at the moment. However, he does wish that things went differently. If she hadn't lost her memory, he could have gotten information out of her somehow, even if it meant hurting her.

And of course, he would feel wrong doing that. After all, Kurapika has never once enjoyed violence. So perhaps this was the better outcome?

He can't let his guard down completely.

He speaks.

"And what is this '_promise_' that Gon spoke of?"

She hesitates to speak for a moment, and Kurapika finds this suspicious.

"Speak."

She gives a slight worried expression before quickly covering it up with her normal neutral one.

"Excuse me, this is not my first language." She pauses. "It is difficult to translate... my words so quickly." She looks up as if in thought, and Kurapika looks to melody; who gives a nod.

Yes, that is a reasonable explanation. Reasonable enough for Kurapika to accept. He had noticed her slight accent anyway, although it is very hard to tell, Kurapika notices that she occasionally misplaces syllables for other ones.

One who is only half listening to her speak would never notice.

"I promise to tell you any memory that I remember and give you any information I can provide to you about this group that you associated me with. And if it is at all possible, I would like something in return."

Melody nods, indicating that she is indeed serious about this exchange. Kurapika looks down at the carpet.

He clears his throat.

"Very well… what do you want?"

She pushes a few stray hairs behind her ear before looking back up at him to reply.

"Safety. For as long as I can help you, that is all I ask."

Kurapika inhales and shivers, trying to force himself to calm down.

Without warning, he stands.

"Alright. But before I trust you, I want you to tell me why you want my protection."

Lucius sighs, as if she hoped he had not said that. However, as Kurapika expected, she complies.

* * *

Feitan shifts uncomfortably under the gaze of Chrollo.

"...Is that so?"

Feitan does not reply.

Chrollo seems to think for a moment, his eyes still not have strayed from the book he holds in front of him. The Troupe leader suddenly cracks a soft smile.

"I wouldn't have imagined that you would join Phinks in a sudden change of personality… Or fall in love, for that matter."

Again, Feitan does not reply. Instead he looks up to the ceiling and begs whatever god that could possibly be out there to end his humiliation quickly.

"But again, just like Phinks's situation, this is perfect."

Feitan hadn't expected such a positive reaction out of Chrollo. Although he hadn't expected him to be unhappy about it either. At the very least, he had expected him to encourage him.

"What you mean?"

"Well, Argo's very unhappy about all of this." Chrollo sets his book down on the dining table and finally looks back at Feitan, who sits across from him. "In fact, he's enraged with us."

"Because Lucius gone?"

"Yes. It seems he had a much stronger bond with her than I initially thought…" He sighs. "I assured him that we would get her back, as I owe him that much. But that means that we're doing things our way."

Feitan narrows his eyes. Just what kind of 'strong bond' does Argo have with Lucius? Surely it could be nothing like his own bond with her, Argo is much too old to…

Why does the thought of that infuriate him so much?

He clenches his fists as Chrollo continues.

"So now that your confession is out of the way, I now know how to control this situation."

"You need me?"

"Of course I do. I know exactly what I want you to do. But first, we'll have to convince Argo."

After he says this, Chrollo picks up his book and continues reading. But Feitan still has more on his mind.

"...Chrollo?"

"Yes, Feitan?"

"Is it wrong?"

"Is what wrong?"

Feitan grabs at his chest.

All day, every day that Lucius has been gone, he's felt discomfort all over his body, but mostly around his chest. He can't understand it.

And it fucking infuriates him.

He doesn't explain, but Chrollo understands anyway.

"Why would your feelings be wrong?" Chrollo smiles. "Lucius is a charming girl."

"Phinks say she's weird."

Chrollo chuckles. "Well, that's Phinks's opinion. Wouldn't you say that Rei is a bit strange as well?"

Feitan doesn't know how to reply, so he furrows his brow and nods.

"Is that why you think your feelings are wrong? Or is there another reason?"

Feitan doesn't reply.

"...Is it because you haven't felt it before?"

Feitan nods. That's exactly it. Never once has Feitan ever met someone who knows him as well as Chrollo.

"Well, it is strange at first. It can sting at times, and you may do outrageous things because of it, but those outrageous things are not wrong if they are done for the meaning of your love for another person."

Feitan's expression darkens.

If that's the case, he can do anything and not regret it as long as it is for the meaning of love? Is that what Chrollo means?

"Boss, what you want me to do?"

"Ah, I was waiting for you to ask. It is much easier now that you're enthusiastic."

* * *

"...He what?"

"He wants to take over this mission himself. I gave him instructions to only collect information for now in case Lucius is being held hostage."

Argo slams his fist onto his desk and stands, glaring at Feitan, who stands next to Chrollo in Argo's study, with fiery rage.

Chrollo narrows his eyes.

"Does this not satisfy you?"

"You're telling me that this little bastard has fallen in love with my daughter, and yet you've informed me that he was accompanying her on the mission when she was kidnapped, and he never even thought to catch her or rescue her?! Fat chance that I'd let him command this mission to return her to me!"

Feitan cannot be ashamed for his actions, he's too confused. He swears that he heard Argo call Lucius his… daughter? No, that man in the bar... didn't he say that Lucius killed her father?

Thankfully, Chrollo is just as confused.

"...daughter?"

Argo ignores him.

"You know that I cannot do any of this alone! I cannot retrieve her with just Rei and Tadao. It's his fault that she was taken! He was at the scene of the crime, and yet he never took action!"

Feitan grits his teeth and glares at Argo, but before he can defend himself, Chrollo does it for him.

"Now Argo, I believe you must calm down. It's important for you to understand that both Feitan and Tadao were present when Lucius was taken."

Argo chokes on his own words and shamefully sits back at his desk.

He takes a deep breath.

"Please, let me think all of this over." Argo rests his elbows on the desk and rubs his temples.

Chrollo smiles and nods, turning to leave the study.

Feitan glares back at Argo before leaving behind Chrollo.

* * *

**In response to:**

**Alisterseiy****:** **I actually agree, I have a lot of Feitan headcanons actually and that's why I am very excited to answer this question! I like to think that Feitan is a virgin and since he's not so experienced when it comes to physical contact other than fighting and torturing people, physical "affection" Is quite foreign to him. If you imagined some fangirl running up to Feitan for a hug, you'd expect him to kill her in an instant. I would however expect Feitan to be dominant between the sheets if he *did* ever get "physical" with anyone, and if that did happen, that "someone" would have to be quite the exception and very special in Feitan's eyes. Although I don't think I'll be putting sexual content in this fanfic at all (unless Rei and Phinks maybe), I imagine Lucius as asexual.**

**CielSynema****: Agreed lmao.**

**It'sNotLikeILoveYou: ****Thank you! I'm glad you like it 3**

**Mi-Chan****: ****Well, there's still the fact that she's missing more than half of her memory, even her memory of the Desdemona Shadowmen… I wouldn't want to go back to being used either.**

**Shoujiki Shoji: ****I rated it M from the beginning because well… I wouldn't want someone accidentally being triggered by one of the gore scenes (such as the rat scene) or any other scene that may come up. I'm happy I could make you laugh and oh my gosh, thank you!**

**Rinrikapyon****: You're welcome! And I'm happy I could make you gigglish!**

**Forbidden Moons:** **Yes, yes it is~**

**SilverSapphire: ****I bet Feitan is cute when he's flustered!**


	31. Chapter 31

**In response to:**

**MinaAndreea****: Aww this was a nice lil thing to read 3 I'm glad you look forward to them! And thank you pal!**

**Forbidden Moons****: The way I see it, Chrollo is just like any other sociopath. His actions towards people outside of the Troupe tend to be cruel, although I've never seen him act in any cruel manner towards any of the members at all. As he has stated that he considers them all his friends so obviously he's happy for Feitan for finding love, but he realizes that he can also use this to his advantage. Chrollo is also quite charming around strangers (as we've seen with Neon) and he used that to his advantage as well. Sorry for going on, but I'm just really passionate about Chrollo lol.**

**Washu-Chan****: Don't worry, you're completely right. But Kurapika explains all of that himself in this chapter~**

**Rinrikapyon****: The "daughter" business will be all cleared up soon. And thank you! I'm happy you're excited about this as much as I am! You're welcome!**

**Mi-Chan****: Thank you for the congrats! Argo is a suspicious lil bugger… I can't wait for you to see the rest. And thank you!**

**Lord Nebula: ****It makes me so happy to know that people are so interested. I wasn't so confident in the beginning, but now I wont stop until I've finished this fic.**

**SilverSapphire34523****: Maybe its all the tension… heh.**

* * *

Chapter 31

She has only just started her explanation, but Kurapika can sense that she is slightly uncomfortable under his pressure. Melody and Gon have left him alone in the room with the girl for the sake of her privacy.

But Kurapika could care less about her privacy. She was with the Troupe after all, and after gaining her memories, she will likely change her mind.

And in the event of that happening, it would serve as the perfect opportunity to get answers out of her once and for all. Assuming that she's worth as much to the Troupe as he thinks, he'll be able to use her as a hostage.

...But then what?

Kurapika realizes that he hasn't been paying attention to her explanation at all, and he asks her to start over.

"Ah… yes. You see, I was born into a famous family of Music Hunters. Dupont." She takes a moment to remember her previous statement before she was interrupted. "Unfortunately, I only know as much about my family as most history books or encyclopedias do."

This suddenly interests Kurapika.

"What do you mean?"

"I am the last of my family. They were slaughtered for their fortune."

Kurapika feels uneasy while looking into the girl's emotionless eyes. It seems to him like she hardly cares for her murdered family at all. Something in his gut tells him that it isn't right, but he knows he cannot risk using dowsing chain in front of someone who could potentially become his enemy.

Deep down inside, he knows he wants to sympathize with her somehow… but he just can't.

Not when she is looking at him with such empty eyes. And not while knowing that her opinion of him may change.

He stays quiet and allows her to continue speaking.

"I was found alone when I was young, so I was sold because I possess a certain gene that runs down my family. A gene that allows me to alter my Nen into sound vibrations with ease." She pauses. "I was sold to a man for a heavy price."

Kurapika takes the moment that she does not speak to think.

_Sold?_

And for a heavy price… her abilities must be either troublesome, or extremely helpful.

Or, perhaps, they're much like Neon's… An ability that someone could take advantage of.

He decides that he must know.

"What exactly does this gene allow you to do? I imagine it must be quite important, being sold for a large price. And it must be quite important to you, considering you've lost your Nen."

"Yes. I do admit that it feels quite strange… being without my Nen. My vibrations are like extensions of my own body. I can alter emotions, just like music. And my vibrations cut, much like a razor."

"So this man that bought you… he must have used those abilities."

She hesitates for a moment and she nods. "I had no problem with it at first. I was well fed, and as long as I behaved, I was left in relative comfort and I was much too young to understand…"

He furrows his brow. He doesn't let up his cold tone, he knows that it's much better to be pushy and keep her in line than to make her feel like she automatically has his trust.

"Understand what?"

"That my abilities are priceless. He told me to be obedient, forced me to call him 'father' even when he was hardly so… He treasured me much like a possession. But…" She pauses and looks up at the ceiling. Kurapika notices that this is a habit of hers. "He did not hesitate to punish me if I did not behave."

Kurapika already understands exactly where her story is going.

"What did he do?"

"If I did not play my music for him or a friend or client of his, then I was usually punished my father's brother… and if I was punished by him, I was locked away for usually a week. However, if I did play… I was rewarded by the comfort of my home and the servants who were kind to me… and I was praised, although I was hardly ever called by my name."

he can tell that she is carefully avoiding a certain detail… and although she has displayed no emotion, Kurapika can tell that after he asked this question, he hit a nerve.

"What would his brother do to you?"

This question only earns her silence, giving Kurapika a sort of guilty victory.

If whatever she endured was traumatic, he feels bad for even bringing it up. However, she is technically still his enemy, and they are probably only at a temporary truce.

Kurapika wonders if she's simply just a good actress, or if she is being serious. Maybe he will never know until there is an outcome…

But Kurapika knows that he is in full control of the situation right now.

She gives him a simple reply while looking back to the ground. Her eyes appearing darker and even emptier than before.

"My Uncle made things physical."

He doesn't reply, and at first she shares his silence. But suddenly, she speaks and finally looks into his eyes, seemingly unthreatened by the red glare.

But Kurapika notices a hint of something genuine in her eyes. It is a look that he is familiar with. A look that Gon, Killua, Melody and even Leorio have given him before.

A sort of dependant look. A begging look.

Although seeing her face at first glance would give you no hint of it, Kurapika's sensitive side can see something honest in her eyes.

"That is why I need you. And that is why I need to help you."

* * *

Feitan and Phinks had been the first to arrive at the meeting in the bar. Phinks grumbles to himself in boredom then yawns. When Chrollo and Argo enter the room, Feitan searches behind them to see the others. He is thankful to know that he doesn't have to wait any longer. He waits impatiently as the group settles in the room at seats around the bar.

Feitan senses something strange about the atmosphere as silence fills the room. His attention turns to Argo just as Rei takes a seat next to Phinks.

Argo seems to be fiercely staring him down. After Feitan acknowledges his glare with a simple glance, Argo looks away. Feitan doesn't remove his sight from him until the meeting starts.

"Good morning everyone." Chrollo greets the group with his usual smile. Although he seems to act preoccupied by his own thoughts, he manages to run the meeting like any other. "Like I said before, we have agreed to search for the Shadowmen's missing member and we have come up with a plan for the time being."

Feitan shifts in his chair as his heart suddenly flutters in excitement.

Chrollo opens his mouth to speak but Argo takes the attention from the group.

Argo points at Feitan and speaks.

"You."

Feitan raises an eyebrow and retorts.

"What?"

"Finding the address of the Nostrade Estate is not so hard. Why haven't you gone to see if she's even alive yet?!"

Feitan narrows his eyes and stands. Indeed, he could find the location of the Nostrade Estate with a google search, but Feitan feels like this man is somehow trying to threaten him with his glares.

He wants to rip the finger that he's pointing at him clean off.

When Chrollo says Argo's name, he raises his voice a bit, but slowly regains his composure.

"Argo!...please. Calm yourself."

Argo lowers his arm but he does not remove his stare away from Feitan.

"For the next two days, we will stay here to ensure that they haven't gotten our location or any other information out of Lucius that could threaten our safety for the time being. After we do this, we will send Feitan out to the Nostrade Estate to ensure Lucius's safety. After he analyzes her situation thoroughly, he will report back and we will figure out what to do from there."

"You're not going to have him just find my daughter and bring her back?! It's his fault that she fell! He just stood and watched!"

The entire group goes silent at Argo's sudden outburst.

Chrollo's expression seems to darken, and the Troupe is left alone in their confusion as Feitan clutches his cloak in annoyance. Trying to ignore the urge to jump across the table and beat him senseless for pinning the blame all on him once again. He wonders why Argo even tries to argue even after being proven wrong by Chrollo more than once at this point.

Thankfully, Phinks helps him avoid conflict with Argo.

By almost starting a different conflict with him.

"Wait, Lucius isn't your dau-"

Rei stomps on his foot from underneath the table, quickly silencing him. Phinks whispers aggressively at her.

"what was that for?!"

Rei shushes him and smile at Argo.

"Don't worry, Argo. I'm sure she'll be fine." Rei laughs nervously while inching closer to Phinks.

"Sorry." She whispers. "I'll explain later."

Feitan makes a quick mental note of this before returning his attention to the situation at hand. Machi and Shalnark seem to have taken note of the strange occurrence as well, as they are staring at Feitan Phinks and Rei on the other side of the room.

Argo seems to calm down, and Chrollo takes control of the meeting.

"It may not be the most efficient plan, but we want to ensure that Lucius is not being held hostage. If so, we must gather to make a different plan. I chose Feitan because I believe he will be careful with this." He glares at Argo. "I trust this mission with him."

With that, Chrollo leaves the room.

The group with no knowledge of the situation is left to wonder why Argo and Chrollo had been so aggressive.

Meanwhile, Feitan is left with a heavy feeling of anticipation.

* * *

Gon shows Lucius to her room, holding her hand all the way down the hallway as they go.

"I'm glad Kurapika agreed to letting you stay. But with you here, Kurapika says that tomorrow we're going to stay at a hotel for a few weeks. So don't get too comfortable." He stops at a white door at the end of a hallway and swings it open. "This is your room for now!" He doesn't give her any time to take in her surroundings, as he quickly shuts the door."

"But I think Melody is making breakfast now, so let's go downstairs and find Leorio so you can get your head checked out, okay? Oh, and maybe you can borrow clothes from Killua, you seem like you're around his size."

She looks down at her current attire. She hadn't realized how damaged her dress had actually been.

And… when did she even get this dress? It is much too formal for anything that her father would dress her up for.

No matter. She decides that it is better if she doesn't think about it.

She would rather soak in the contagious happiness that radiates off of Gon as he tugs her into the kitchen.


	32. Chapter 32

**In response to: **

**Mi-Chan****: You don't have to worry about me discontinuing at all! Some weeks I may not update, but that will always be for personal reasons. I promised myself that I would finish this fic. And thank you so much! You're honestly so precious cx.**

**ClaireShepardHKKY: Ahah, thank you so much! It was honestly one of my favorite chapters to write!**

**Nyu****: Omg.. all I have to say really is thank you thank you thank you! This was so nice to read especially since I have been feeling down lately, so thank you so much! And Lucius was a bit vague while explaining, wasn't she? With the way that Kurapika interpreted it, one can infer that Lucius was physically abused, but maybe she was vague on purpose?**

**SilverSapphire34523****: Perhaps I accidentally started a shipping war xD **

**Forbidden Moons: Don't apologize for ranting, I do it all the time. I, however, love the fact that you'll never know what Chrollo is thinking, it makes him rather unpredictable; and fun to write! **

**jovysanchez17: Thank you for bringing the typo to my attention! And thank you! Don't worry, the 'daughter' stuff should be a bit cleared up in this chapter!**

* * *

Chapter 32

Rei rushes the two down the hallway, careful to look back to make sure nobody had followed them up the stairs towards the bedrooms after the meeting. Near the end of the hallway, she turns to the left and opens the door leading into her own bedroom.

"Rei, I don't understand why this is so-"

"Shut up!"

Feitan and Phinks follow her into her bedroom, which is slightly different and more personalized than the others with posters and shelves hanging on the walls.

Phinks sits on her bed while Feitan stands to the side near a wall with his arms crossed.

"Listen…" Rei takes a deep breath and leans against the door. "You could have just gotten yourself killed."

"Killed? By that old guy? Dont make me laugh." Phinks crosses his arms as well. "And all because I asked a completely understandable question?"

Feitan ponders for a moment.

Had any of them ever seen Argo fight in the first place? Or put any effort into their mission at all?

No. So why is he blaming him instead of trying to help them find Lucius and take control of the situation? If Argo is strong enough to take Phinks down alone, then why isn't he strong enough to take down the chain user for his "daughter's" sake? Not that Feitan didn't want to help find Lucius at all. In fact, he felt confident with the mission put into his own hands. He feels as if Argo was put in charge of the situation, Lucius would never be found as quickly as _he _wanted.

He also feels like Lucius's life would be put in more danger if Argo made the wrong decision.

Things are going to go Feitan's way this time.

He returns his attention to Rei.

"Yes. It sounds crazy, I know. But trust me… you shouldn't ever bring that up."

Phinks and Feitan notice that the girl's comfort level seems to shift, and her voice becomes hushed and aggressive.

"Babe, calm down alright? Just tell us what's going on."

Phinks earns a strange look from Feitan.

"Okay. Okay, alright. Look, Argo isn't Lucius's real father."

"We know that." Says Feitan, who is starting to become rather impatient.

"Yeah. When we were at that bar, that guy said something about Lucius killing her father… or something." Says Phinks. "We didn't get the story."

"Well… yeah that happened." Rei runs a few fingers through her hair. "Lucius… she's a part of a huge family-I mean she was- until they were all killed. She was put up for sale in some underground market… or something like that." She sighs and sits next to Phinks. "So apparently her family was famous, so she was sold for a huge price. And the guy who bought her was an asshole from what I heard. So she killed him. And that's just the summary."

"So when does Argo come in…?"

Rei shushes Phinks so that she can continue. "So when Lucius killed him, she had to kill all the servants in the house as well… All of that happened in this very mansion."

"Wait… so the guy who bought Lucius lived here?"

Feitan looks at the ground. "That mean that Lucius took over mansion after killing everyone."

Rei nods. "That's right. And she was young and alone, so she didn't bother cleaning up the mess. So when everyone in the mansion was declared missing when none of the servants returned home, a search party was declared and the authorities approached the property. But… Argo told me that she didn't let a single soul into her home. She killed them all."

Feitan grows even more impatient. "And?"

He wants to know what Argo has to do with any of this. It's not that he isn't interested in what Rei was telling them. In fact, he is _really _interested in knowing what happened to her; but he'd rather understand why Argo is so protective.

"Well, after that, no one ever dared approach the mansion… they thought that it was cursed or something. So Lucius was left alone for a long while, that is, until Argo showed up."

"Did she attack him?"

"She was going to at first, but it was snowing outside… and she saw that Argo was carrying a baby in his arms. She was interested in them, so she didn't attack. She let him knock on the door. And when there was no answer, he opened the door and invaded her home. She was interested because he saw all the corpses and he didn't fret one bit…. And Argo described their relationship 'father, daughter' as if they got along right away. And that's all I know about that part."

"So… what your point?" Feitan moves his weight from the wall. "why you think he'll try to kill us when we ask?"

"Because I saw it happen before. And because he's crazy. He's on some next level bat-shit crazy." She starts speaking quicker and quieter as footsteps can be heard from the hallway. "He's actually convinced himself that Lucius is his daughter… he's convinced that Lucius and Ume are sisters."

"Wait wait." Phinks holds his arms in the air and wrinkles his nose. "Are you saying that you've watched him kill someone over this?"

This peaks Feitan's interest.

Rei shushes Phinks again. "Speak quieter!" She shifts her eyes to the door before continuing. "There's a lot of members of the Shadowmen… More than you can count. But at the time, I was one of the only members along with Lucius and a guy named Luka. Lucius never liked him, and I'll never know why, but I remember that Him and Argo got into a huge fight… He mentioned that Lucius isn't his real daughter and I walked in and… Look, I know this is a lot of information to take in, but I'm telling you to protect you."

"If he so crazy, why are you still part of Shadowmen?" Feitan asks.

"That's my business." She says. "Argo isn't so bad, but he is crazy.. and that's all I have to tell you."

* * *

Lucius feels slightly uncomfortable as Leorio's hands gently rub the bottom of her injured head as he dabs ointment onto scabs on the back of her neck.

"And you say that your vision is impaired…? Yeah, that's possible after a concussion. But how bad is it?"

Lucius doesn't have time to answer him as he shoves a white piece of paper in her face.

"Can you read that?"

She shakes her head.

No, she can't even tell that there _is _writing on the paper at all. To her, it's just a blurred square.

"...oh. Well it's a grocery list. Anyways, maybe we'll have to get you a prescription for a pair of glasses… In the meantime, I think you should probably get changed."

Lucius, slightly embarrassed, nods and stands from the dining room table. She sniffs the air, a fresh scent of pancakes greeting her nostrils.

Gon enters the room with Killua at his side, carrying a pile of folded clothing. From what Lucius can tell from Killua's body language, he seems quite unhappy.

"We found some of Killua's clothes that we think will fit! Don't worry, Kalluto's doing the same thing!"

Lucius furrows her brow.

"...Kalluto?"

"I didn't think you would remember Kalluto either… well, he was with you and the Troupe, but he was just trying to find Killua, so we can't really be mad at him."

Another figure steps up from behind them. At first, the figure appears to be quite feminine, but his boyish voice gives it away.

"Hi. I'm Kalluto."

Lucius leans on a wall to give her aching back a break. She tries her best not to wince in pain.

"We have met before…?"

Kalluto shakes his head. "We were acquaintances, really." Kalluto laughs nervously, which leads Lucius so suspect that he is lying to her. "Um, do you need help getting out of that dress?"

Killua snickers.

"I-I mean, I wont look or anything! It's just that.. I imagine it would be a pain to unzip that yourself since your back is so hurt and… you know I'm not going to try to-"

Lucius decides to spare him of his own embarrassment.

"That would be helpful." She says.

"If you're gonna do that, the bathroom is right over there!" Gon points to a door down the hall to the right of the kitchen beside the stairs. He hands her the pile of clothing and she attempts the most polite smile she can offer to Killua without making it appear to be too fake.

She nods and thanks Killua before heading down the hallway, followed by Kalluto.

* * *

"Why was Kalluto so awkward just now?"

"_He _is a _boy _after all, Gon." says Killua, crossing his arms.

"Well she seems comfortable enough with him as it is. Maybe she somewhat remembers him?"

Killua brings a finger to his chin. "That's possible… Hey Gon, whatever you do, don't mention the whole '_Kalluto pushing Lucius off of a balcony thing_'... okay?"

Gon nods. "Yeah okay, why?"

Killua sighs and heads to the living room, Gon follows behind shortly after Killua takes a seat on the couch.

"Kalluto told me that he'd like to start over with her. He likes her because she was nice to him, something about her dressing him up. I don't know, he asked me to not mention it at all."

Gon takes a seat on the floor next to Killua's legs.

"I don't think she'd be mad."

Killua snerks. "Why wouldn't she be mad? He pushed her off of a balcony!"

"Well…" Gon lays on his back and stares up at the ceiling. "I really think Lucius wants to start over as a new person. I feel like… she'd thank him."

"Well I definitely wouldn't thank anyone for pushing me off of a balcony. I'd kill them." Says Killua, placing his feet on a coffee table across from the couch.

"Are you saying that she would kill Kalluto?"

"Well if I were Kalluto, that would be my main concern. But I'm not."

Gon looks from the ceiling to Killua, who's attention was on the muted T.V. across from him until he notices Gon's gaze.

"...What?"

"What do you think about Lucius?"

"Well, I guess she's okay with me. But it's going to take a lot for Kurapika to change his mind about her. I don't think she'd lie about wanting to stay. If I was right about her home situation, then I understand completely… but that doesn't mean I can trust her yet."

Gon looks back at the ceiling.

"I'm sorry about your family being all weird, Killua."

Killua laughs.

* * *

**Some things are cleared up… but not all of it. Only Lucius knows the whole story~**


	33. Chapter 33

**In response to:**

**Lord Nebula: Thank you! I've really thought a lot on this story. Twists and turns are something I'm relatively good at. I'm also really thankful to have a friend who has helped me with many of the ideas in this story as well! **

**BK-207: Yep! I did state in a previous chapter that I will touch up on Feitan's past. I've thought it all out and I'm honestly very happy with what I have come up with. I'm hoping that it won't disappoint~ Although.. I am not quite sure when I'll write it all out, but It's sure to happen!**

**Mi-Chan: That's actually the exact reason why I made the fanfic in the first place! I've read most of the Feitan fics on the site and I just felt so empty after reading them all because I had nothing that included Feitan left… So, I made my own for myself and other Feitan fans to enjoy! **

**Forbidden Moons: Although it was only partly correct, I'd love to hear your theory anyway if you're okay with that :D theories are fun! I think Chrollo is so pretty… WHY MUST HE BE PRETTIER THAN MEEEE**

***ahem* anyways… This is a very special chapter..**

* * *

Chapter 32

The arcade- part one.

"Feeei… Fei, wake up!"

Feitan shoves his head farther into the feather-stuffed pillow, inhaling its dusty scent.

"Fei! Get your ass up, it's almost three-o-clock!"

Feitan grumbles, ignoring Shalnark and Phinks's attempts to wake him and turns over in his bed.

"Feitan, I swear to god… if you're sulking in there I'm gonna kick your ass for being a little bitch-baby!"

Feitan sits up and throws a miscellaneous pillow at the door and immediately lays back down. But before he can drift off…

_CRACK_

_SLAM_

He sits back up to see a broken door-knob torn from the door and laying on the floor just inches away from the end of the bed. He looks up at Shalnark and Phinks who are standing in the open doorway.

"Feh."

It's just like them to force their way into his room.

"We're bringing you to the- AUGH!"

Phinks spins around towards the hallway upon seeing an undressed Feitan. Shalnark yelps and covers his eyes.

"Augh, Fei, why do you _do _that?!"

Feitan brushes his unkempt hair out of his eyes before disregarding their reactions entirely.

"Where you bring me?"

"Well we _wanted _to bring you to an arcade so you'd stop sulking… So you can trash some kid's high score or something but you can't do that while you're butt-ass naked!" Phinks throws his hands in the air before walking out. "Come down to foyer when you're not naked!"

Shalnark follows closely behind Phinks while chuckling to himself.

Feitan rubs his face and groans, laying back in the bed.

He didn't ask to be woken up.

Lately, he's felt much better while he's in a sleeping-state. While he can't feel…

What is this feeling anyway?

He places a hand on his chest.

It's almost ironic. How he'd made such a big fuss after losing his only pleasure… and now he can only feel this discomfort in his chest. Like constant fluttering…

It makes him cringe.

It makes him want to sleep forever.

But, why would he do that when he can be useful in this mission? When he can take charge of it, like Chrollo promised him? When he can take control after he's gotten all the information he needs after a few surveillance rounds?

Why sleep forever when he could do something to make this feeling go away? Why sleep forever when he can bring Lucius back himself?

After a few more thoughts, he sits up from his bed and stands.

Well, might as well keep himself occupied in the meantime.

Before exiting the room, he slips into more comfortable clothing than his usual attire and he joins Phinks and Shalnark in the foyer.

* * *

"So… what about these ones?"

Leorio slips a pair of small, red rectangle-framed glasses onto the girl's face. He stands back to look at her.

Lucius blinks and looks around at Gon, Killua, Kalluto, Leorio and Melody, who all stand around her.

"I can see... " For a second, Lucius seems a little excited. "These ones work."

Leorio sighs out and laughs. "The color seems a bit out of place… but they look fine. And they work just fine, which is even better!"

Gon smiles. "Good thing this pair worked! How much time did you take to read all those letters on those cards, Joy?"

"...Did you just call her… 'Joy'?"

"Yeah!" Says Gon happily back to Killua. "That's the nickname I gave her!"

Killua scoffs. "It really doesn't fit…" Killua looks back at Lucius's emotionless face.

"I think it's cute!" Says Melody. "What do you think, Kalluto?"

"Uh… It's a nice nickname."

Although it's rather hard to tell, Leorio can see that Lucius has become rather uncomfortable under all the sudden attention, and he decides to step in.

He leans with his elbow on the kitchen counter and speaks to Melody.

"When are you and Kurapika heading out?"

Melody blinks. "In a few minutes, I think. When we come home, we're heading straight to the hotel."

"And when do you think you'll come home?"

Kurapika peeks his head into the kitchen.

"Exactly Seven-o-clock. And no one leaves this house until we come back!" He says as he grabs a set of car keys laying on the kitchen table. "If there's anything suspicious going on… you let me know right away. Don't worry about Neon, she's at a friend's house for a few weeks."

With that, Kurapika heads out the front door with Melody, briefly glancing at Lucius before doing so.

Leorio notices that Lucius put her head down.

* * *

Feitan follows Phinks and Shalnark into the arcade unenthusiastically, stepping up to an information booth just ahead.

A rather plain-looking woman greets them from behind a desk.

"Hello! If you'd like to play, we accept twenties, tens and five dollar bills in that machine over the-"

The three spiders ignore her and walk past the front desk into a separate, brightly colored and lit room (which happens to be much larger than the three had expected) packed with arcade games which happen to be organized by function.

"Well, I've brought all the tokens!"

Shalnark sits on the carpeted ground and pulls out a large, volley-ball sized pouch from his shirt pocket, which jingles as he digs into it.

Phinks and Feitan crouch near him, watching him sort all the tokens into three piles.

"Where did you get these?" Asks Phinks as he collects his pile.

"Here, actually. Last night. Those machines were way too easy to crack… I have four more pouches, but I left them at home because I'm sure these will last us all day."

Feitan collects his tokens as well and pulls the hood of his black sweatshirt up over his face, while the two others (also dressed in casual wear) do the same with their own.

Although Shalnark, of course, is dressed in the brightest blue sweat pants and sweatshirt he could find.

"Alright! The one with the most tickets gets to keep all the loser's tickets!"

Shalnark stands with a confident smile, which Phinks returns.

"Got it."

"Deal." Says Feitan before departing with the other two while shoving the tokens into his pockets.

The first game he finds that he remotely has any interest in is some knock-off of galaga. He slides two tokens into the slot even though he won't be rewarded any tickets.

Almost effortlessly, Feitan is able to earn the highest score on the machine without having to try again… unfortunately for him, however, he seems to have gained an audience. After punching in the letters F.E.I into the initial screen, he turns and nearly bumps into three girls.

All are wearing some sort of junior high school uniform, each with brightly colored hair.

"I-Is this your first time here?" Asks one, who happens to be the same height as him.

The other two giggle.

The girl who speaks to him seems rather flustered.

Feitan raises an eyebrow.

"Why you care?"

The girl seems a bit surprised by his answer and becomes even more nervous.

"W-Well… you see, I'm here quite often… I've never seen you around here before. I was wondering, um, if you'd like me to show you around."

The girl smiles up at him, waiting for a response.

He looks at the girl with an annoyed look.

Feitan isn't so oblivious to what she is trying to do. It's not the first time this has happened to him.

He takes the way she sways her hands behind her back and the way that she bites her lip nervously as an indication that the two giggling idiots behind her had forced her into this, either as a joke or a dare. And the blush on her face indicates that she somewhat wishes that he will say yes, despite her embarrassment.

Or at least that's how he interprets it.

How disgusting.

He narrows his eyes.

"I not interested in annoying girls like you."

He walks past the group of stunned middle-schoolers while closing his eyes.

When he has gained enough space between them and himself, he looks back to see the damage he caused.

The girl is holding back tears, while her friends pat her back.

He's sure that if he said such a thing to Lucius, he would receive a calm, witty comeback.

He finds that it isn't fun at all to tease someone without a fight back.

He quickly finds another game to get his mind off of her.

* * *

Lucius sits at the living room couch alone while biting her lip, seeking some sort of amusement.

The others sit at the dining room table playing cards.

Laughing. Talking.

She feels sort of pathetic sitting alone in the brightly lit living room beside the kitchen, fueling off of their conversation.

Wishing she was there.

For some reason, during the short amount of time that she has spent there, she felt a strong attraction to Gon; as if beside him is where she feels safest.

She cannot feel safe beside Kurapika for obvious reasons, and Kalluto knew her prior to her amnesia… she cannot feel safe beside someone who knows more about her than she knows about herself at the moment. She constantly feels a sort of hostile atmosphere around Killua. And Leorio… well, he's an oddball.

But the way they speak to each other… so happily, so casually.

Why does she crave so badly to be a part of it?

She suddenly hears her name being called from the kitchen.

* * *

Leorio sets his hand down on the table, searching through each of his cards carefully.

"Fifteen-two. Fifteen-four…" He claps loudly. "Fifteen-eight! Eight points for Leorio!" He reaches for his peg on the Cribbage board but his hand is suddenly grabbed by Killua.

"Ba-ka. You counted the same pair twice. You only get four points!"

Leorio returns his attention to his hand, cursing loudly when he notices that Killua is right.

He sadly moves his peg four spaces.

Gon takes a much longer time to count his hand. He pouts.

"aww, I only have two points."

"No, you have much more than that!" Kalluto grabs Gon's cards and sorts them in a way that he can understand. "See, you have fifteen-two.." he sorts the cards differently. "Fifteen-four, Fifteen-eight and fifteen-ten!"

Leorio slams his head on the table in defeat.

"That means he wins!"

Gon smiles sheepishly.

"I'm not very good at mental math…"

"But you still won." Says Killua, who seems quite unamused.

The group goes silent until interrupted by Leorio.

"It's only been fifteen minutes since Kurapika left."

The group sighs together in boredom.

Leorio sets his head down on the table on his cheek, closing his eyes for a brief moment, trying to think of what to do.

When he opens his eyes, he sees Lucius in the other room with her head down just like before; all alone.

Even though she's supposed to be their enemy, he somewhat agrees with Gon.

It's better to turn her into something better than she was and give her a second chance than to keep grudges.

He suddenly gets an idea.

"Hey guys, want to head to the arcade?"

"Kurapika said not to leave while he's gone." Says Killua, resting his head into his palm.

"So? He wont notice if we come home before seven." Leorio leans back in his chair and puts a hand to the side of his face so Lucius can't read his lips. "And do you think, after hearing her story, that she get's out and about very often? I don't think so."

Gon smiles. "I can keep quiet!"

Killua laughs. "I'm not a tattle-tale."

"Me either." Says Kalluto.

Leorio laughs mischieviously. "Thought so."

Leorio shouts over his shoulder.

"Hey, Lucius! Wanna come in here so I can change the bandages on your head?"

The girl looks up and hops off of the couch, immediately complying.

Leorio stands once she comes to his side and reaches into one of the kitchen drawers, pulling out gauze. Just like any other time that he has done it, he instructs her to sit at one of the kitchen chairs while he removes the bloodied bandage that is currently around her head and replaces it with a new one, carefully moving her hair out of the way as he does so.

"You kinda look like a boy when you wear Killua's clothes!" says Gon as Leorio places a few bandaids on the scratches and large scabs on her back.

"That's not usually what girls want to hear, Gon." Says Killua, laughing.

Lucius furrows her brow. "...Is that so?"

Gon tries to redeem himself. "W-Well, you look like a very nice boy!" He chuckles.

"I do not mind." Says Lucius, while attempting to smile.

"You've got a few more scabs and scrapes on your legs that I only just noticed now. Do you mind if I patch those up as well?" Leorio asks while opening the drawer again and pulling out a first aid kit.

She shakes her head and he pulls her chair out as she is in it and kneels to tend to the scrapes on her legs.

* * *

Lucius feels rather awkward in the silence as he sticks a few bandaids to her knees and her calves, thankfully he rids of that awkwardness.

"Will you tell Kurapika if we go to the arcade?"

"No." She answers quietly.

Leorio rubs on one last bandaid.

"Good, because you're coming with!"

Well, that was unexpected.

Why are they suddenly so accepting of her? Do they no longer hold a grudge against her?

Why does she feel so much in this moment?

She actually laughs out loud, catching them and herself off guard.

She laughs at herself.

She laughs at herself for being so pathetically entranced by their kindness.

She laughs because she is no longer an object.

She laughs because she's happy.

She nods...and her usual expression takes over.

* * *

**wowie. This took me forever to write... Sorry for the later update, guys!**


	34. Chapter 34

**GUYS IM SORRY I DIDN'T UPDATE BUT I HAD MAJOR WRITER'S BLOCK AND I WAS TOO EXCITED FOR THIS POKEMON PICNIC EVENT THAT I WENT TO WHICH WAS AWESOME BY THE WAY. **

**In response to:**

**Nyu****: Ye he sleep nakey. I dunno I guess its comfortable for some people so I just guessed that Feitan was **_**that **_**kinda person because tbh, can you see that guy wearing cute P.J's ? I'm sure he has undies, but y'know, maybe he goes commando...**

**Rinrikapyon: Welcome back, pal! Thank you, and I'm happy you're back!**

**Guest: Lmao, they're kind of idiots, Who knows how it'll turn out?**

**SilverSapphire34523: It may surprise you, what I have in mind.**

**Mi-Chan: thank you, pal! And thank you for reminding me that, I'm very committed to this story, it feels strange even updating a day late, which sadly was more than that this update, but that's life. And you're welcome!**

**Shoujiki Souji:**** Well if you think about it, there's plenty of people in the hxh universe who don't use Nen at all (most members of the mafia, for example). I figured those people have to do **_**something **_**with their lives if they're not gonna be super cool like the other characters :P And I'm happy I've piqued your interest! **

**Articfox2: I'm happy you like it! I'm always continuing c:**

**Forbidden Moons: "maybe he's born with it… maybe it's Illumi!"**

**Have: ...Maaybeee… Maybe nooot.**

* * *

Chapter 34

The arcade- Part 2

Lucius has suddenly become increasingly nervous as they enter the arcade. She hides it from the others, but she feels quite on edge doing this behind Kurapika's back.

How can she feel right doing this when she had already had such a rough start with Kurapika? If he finds out, will he believe that it was her idea in the first place?

But the rush of being accepted so suddenly… Should she protest and ask to leave for her sake?

She rules out that idea, as, strangely, she finds that she cannot speak out anyway.

Leorio approaches the front desk, swaying his arms as he speaks to her. She reluctantly follows Killua, Kalluto and Gon to another room behind the front desk that happens to be much bigger than she thought it would be.

Behind rows and rows of game machines lined up like bookshelves in a library, was a rather large, slightly crowded food court next to restrooms and stairs and a door labelled "staff only".

And it seemed to be quite the hangout spot for young middle school teenagers.

Leorio approaches them.

"Alright guys, If you happen to need anything, I'll be by the pinball machines. I'm giving you each five dollars, once we're all done, we'll head home and Kurapika will never notice!"

Leorio hands her and the other three each a five dollar bill before heading off into a separate direction.

"The coin machines are over here!" Gon rushes over to the bottom left hand corner of the room where a few money exchange machines sit. One by one, the three kids push their dollars into the machines, while Lucius stares down at her own dollar.

Gon looks back at her after they have all gotten their coins.

"Lucius, are you going to get your coins?"

She looks up at him, and she can see the concern all over his face.

"Why are you just sitting there?"

Lucius blinks and realizes just how strange she must look while she just sat there listening to conversations going on all around the building.

She nods and approaches the machine to receive her coins, but when she turns, she finds that Gon and Killua have left her and Kalluto to themselves, seemingly distracted by the fighting game closer to the entrance.

She can tell that Kalluto is nervous to be alone around her.

"Erm, how would you like to spend your coins, Lucius?"

Lucius looks down at the coins in her hand, counting exactly twenty coins in total. Then, she looks out into the humongous room full of gaming machines and back at Kalluto.

"I am not so sure I will be any good at any of them." She looks at Kalluto and forces a smile, attempting the kindest tone that she is able to pull off. "Would you like my coins? I could watch you play."

Kalluto seems to think for a moment.

"I'm not so sure about that…" Kalluto smiles at her. "I know there's something you're really good at here!"

Lucius purses her lips.

"And what would that be…?"

* * *

Feitan cracks his knuckles after claiming the highest score on the very last machine in the back of the room by the food court. Thats it, there isn't much for him to do now that he's claimed the highest score on each and every one of the machines in the arcade. He looks down at the jumble of tickets in his hand and decides to not even bother counting it.

There's no doubt that Shalnark would win the bet, as he is likely breaking the games to get the highest score.

With the last of his coins in hand, he shuffles over to where he found Phinks, who happened to be not too far from him by some stupid chance game that Phinks would never have any luck with in the first place.

"Fuck!"

Phinks slams his fist into the glass of the machine (thankfully not breaking into any off the glass) as Feitan approaches.

"Why you only play luck games?"

Phinks exhales, calming himself, before replying to Feitan's question.

"Because _usually _I'm a pretty lucky guy, if you've noticed."

Feitan laughs and shakes his head before his attention is stolen by cheering by the upper right hand corner of the arcade. Phinks and Feitan look only to see that a huge crowd has formed around one of the rhythm games that are set up near the DDR games and others of the sort which happens to be in the area that Feitan had cleared just an hour ago.

He clicks his tongue to the roof of his mouth in annoyance, scowling near the direction of the crowd.

"Well, if your record was broken, this is the perfect opportunity to crush that kid's goals." Says Phinks while shoving his hands into his pockets.

"You seen him?"

"Yeah, he's a small guy with fast tiny hands, but I bet yours are faster… And tinier."

Feitan (to Phinks's surprise) lets the insult slide while cocking his head and getting closer to the crowd. Phinks follows shortly behind him, peering into the crowd as well.

Due to his height, Feitan isn't really able to see through the crowd at the scoreboard at the top of the game.

But he knows for a fact that he set the best record on that machine.

Thankfully for him, Phinks is able to give him the news.

"Okay so that kid beat your score by a thousand more points, not that bad."

Feitan narrows his eyes and pushes his way through the crowd, leaving Phinks behind.

* * *

Kalluto claps once Lucius beats another opponent from the others in the crowd. Lucius never really thought that she would be good at any type of video game, as music is basically her only talent.

The fact that Kalluto knew that sort of bothers her, but she keeps it to herself.

She's enjoying herself anyway.

Suddenly the machine chimes a sort of jingle that she hadn't heard before and the crowd that has formed behind her cheers. On the screen in front of her and her defeated opponent reads:

_NEW RECORD!_

_Enter Initials._

She is then met with a large rectangular mass at the bottom of the screen with letters organized alphabetically.

She ponders for a moment. Obviously there's no way to fit her entire name, and she doesn't even know her own middle name so using any letters in her name would make no sense.

But she remembers something suddenly and punches in three letters.

Kalluto nudges her.

"Lucius, I'm going to head to the bathroom, tell me how things go."

Lucius quickly nods and turns to the crowd behind her to look for a new challenger.

The rules of the tournament are simple. Winner plays until defeated, and a prize is given to anyone undefeated and order of play goes by order of appearance.

However, those rules were set aside when a certain intimidating individual dressed in black pushes through the crowd towards her.

"We fight now."

* * *

The kid in front of Feitan obviously didn't understand him, so Feitan repeats himself.

"You and me play now."

The kid sort of scrunches his eyebrows upwards, as if he feels insulted for a moment. But once he looks past Feitan and at the crowd who hasn't objected, the boy nods and grabs at the joystick in front of him, and Feitan steps up to the podium with him.

The boy sifts through the songs while Feitan studies the boy's appearance.

His hair is black and rather unkempt underneath a thick layer of long bandages that tie at the sides of his head. Scattered all over his body are bandages and bandaids covering cuts and bruises and on his face sits a pair of rectangular red glasses. Although his boyish clothing says otherwise, Feitan cannot deny that the boy's face has some defined (and familiar) feminine features; but he dismisses it.

Finally, the boy picks a song; which happens to be one of the most difficult songs in the game. However, this song is hardly ever played by users as it is quite unpopular.

'_Kid got strange taste.'_

The song begins at a slow pace lead by a violin, which Feitan and the boy are easily able to keep up with.

Suddenly Feitan becomes enraged by the sound of the violin. Unknowingly, he began to get more and more violent as he tugged the joystick and smashed the buttons at the appropriate times and to the rhythm. The song quickens pace and Feitan is completely focused on the screen in front of him.

The violin is joined with some dubstep-esque sort of chorus, which would have made Feitan cringe if he wasn't so invested in getting a better score.

He can hear people mumbling behind them as Feitan and the boy's movements are completely in sync.

The boy is completely calm, whilst Feitan slams his entire hand into the buttons as he goes, furiously keeping up with the beat and keeping with the melody with the joystick.

When the song finally ends after a long four minutes, Feitan is left with the anticipation of the revealing of their scores.

But when their scores are revealed, it only fuels to Feitan's anger.

The initials 'F.E.I.' Stand tall with One hundred thousand four hundred ninety six points.

While the initials 'J.O.Y.' stand even taller with a perfect score, which Feitan was only short of four points; which means that somewhere along the lines, rather than a 'perfect' or 'nice', One of Feitan's moves failed.

Feitan clenches his fists and exhales shakily.

"Again." He orders.

The boy looks at him, and back at the screen, and back at him with empty eyes.

"But you cannot beat a perfect score."

Feitan can immediately feel weight on his chest that sinks deep into his gut and without another word to the boy, Feitan turns back and pushes through the crowd one last time, dropping his coins onto the floor as he does so.

And the "boy" is left confused.


	35. Chapter 35

**In response to:**

**Rinrikapyon****: Oh, It's alright! Don't worry about it. Feitan should be finding everything out relatively soon! And thank you, will do!**

**Mi-Chan****: Well, that's the reason why he felt so poopy afterwards. The "boy" beat him at a rhythm game (much like Lucius did before) if that didn't make him miss Lucius at all, then the "boy" saying a phrase that he's heard from Luicus previously must really sting especially since he's finally being honest with his feelings. And thank you! I hope you have a nice day!**

**Have:** **;)**

**SilverSapphire34523****: Well, If Lucius hadn't mysteriously lost her Nen, then yes; Feitan would have sensed it. And I don't think he would have thought to use Gyo even though it would have worked, because he just saw her as some little boy at an arcade.**

* * *

Chapter 35

"What the hell were you thinking?! They could have seen you and killed you on the spot! And you brought her with?! She could have ran!"

Leorio, Gon, Killua and Kalluto flinch as Kurapika yells. The four (plus Lucius) sit at the dining room table with their heads down, avoiding eye contact with him. Melody stands next to him smiling sheepishly.

"You all could have gotten away with it if you didn't act so suspicious…" Melody chuckles.

"Melody, are you encouraging behavior like this?!"

Melody shakes her head.

"Of course not, Kurapika. I just think you're being a little hard on them…"

Kurapika scoffs and sighs, rubbing his temples.

"I just don't understand why you would do something so _stupid _when we're basically in the middle of a war!" Kurapika turns away from them, resting his hands . "And we can't trust her. Not yet."

Lucius looks away from everyone in the kitchen, feeling quite ashamed. Perhaps she could have prevented this by denying Leorio's request… surely they wouldn't have left her in their home alone and she would have stayed on Kurapika's good side.

But she felt like a part of their family, and she couldn't resist. She moves her mouth, but she finds that she cannot speak.

What could she say, anyway?

Killua speaks next

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, Kurapika… it _was _Leorio's idea in the first place.."

"And Kurapika, If Lucius wasn't trustworthy, she _would _have ran!" Says Gon, giving him a defiant face.

Kurapika looks down and sighs again.

"I can't rewrite the past, unfortunately… And you're right." Kurapika turns to the table, taking a breath to calm himself. "I'm sorry, Lucius."

Lucius finally finds the words that she wants to say.

"I would not trust me either." She says, looking back at him. "If I can ever use my Nen again… I promise to aid you in your search as best as I can. I can be of more help when I gain my memories as well."

Kurapika gives her a skeptical look, although Melody says nothing about her lying, and turns her back to them again.

"I hope so."

After this, there's an awkward silence, which is eventually broken by Gon.

"So… Are we still in trouble?"

Kurapika sighs. "There's not much I can do about it other than scold you and tell you not to do it again. But I should skip that… we need to get to a hotel as quickly as possible. Our safety is highest on my priorities list…"

* * *

Chrollo stands before Feitan in Argo's study, alone.

"To make everything clear, I'll sum it all up." Chrollo stands behind Argo's desk, sliding a finger across the smooth wooden finish. "Tomorrow, we'll send you out at exactly ten-o-clock P.M. to search the Nostrade Estate. Do whatever you can to find where Lucius is located without causing a ruckus. Gather as much information you can and return here."

Feitan nods.

"Any questions?"

"What if they not there at all?"

"...I suppose that is a possibility. I would imagine that the Chain User would be smart enough to change locations to ensure their safety. But, he could be waiting at the Estate to take you down. You best be on your guard." Chrollo sits in Argo's seat, appearing quite professional. "Like I said, do anything you can to find where Lucius is located."

Feitan nods, but he does not move from the chair across from Chrollo in the desk. This leads Chrollo to believe that something else is bothering him.

"Any… _other _questions?"

Feitan looks from side to side, positioning himself differently in his chair before speaking again.

He says only one thing, in a hushed voice.

"Argo."

Chrollo lifts an eyebrow.

"What about him?"

"I not trust him at all."

Chrollo nods.

"You believe he'd hurt Lucius after his outburst?"

Feitan nods. "Not only that, he bossing _you _around."

"Well, I think Lucius is safe if you're the one looking out for her, and she can look out for herself just as well. And I'm helping him for not only you, but for my _own _reasons at the moment…" Chrollo quickly changes the subject. "Believe it or not, I think that you and Lucius are very alike."

* * *

Feitan feels that same feeling in his chest, and he does his best to ignore it and react to Chrollo's comment.

"Why you say that?"

Chrollo smiles and stands from the chair again, looking out the window and into the night sky.

"You both are very… territorial."

Feitan takes a moment to think this over.

He knows why Chrollo considers him territorial, but he can't understand why he would call _Lucius _territorial. Sure, she had a complicated lock that was impossible to pick that lead to her own bedroom, but then he could say the same for anyone with a hefty lock on their door. Chrollo must know something that he doesn't.

"And now you're probably wondering why I said that… so I'll tell you."

Chrollo then turns to face him.

"Meteor City is your home. It became your home when you were a child. You were kicked around for awhile until you were sick of it."

Feitan narrows his eyes, thankful that Chrollo stopped when he did and spared him of the past for the time being.

"Lucius was the same, but she lived under a different social status. I believe she may have enjoyed taking her revenge… much like you did."

Feitan furrows his brow. He really couldn't imagine Lucius taking lives with a smile on her face. He imagines her killing without feeling anything at all.

"Do you want me to tell you everything I know about her?"

Feitan cannot deny his own curiosity, so he does not decline.

* * *

As the car pulls up to the hotel, Lucius wonders why they hadn't chosen to leave YorkNew City and hide somewhere else.

She steps out of the vehicle last behind Killua and stares up at the Hotel.

The area around the entire building is near one of the less popular sides of YorkNew. She knows this because her father had briefly taken her through the entire city to deal with "business" near the area.

As she steps out into the vacant parking lot, the others take their time to soak in their surroundings as well.

The building isn't necessarily large, but it isn't small either. The entire brick building stands eerily before the pinkish sky, covering the setting sun. Its rusted white, cracked windows sit orderly, cradled by vines with bright green leaves. Beyond the building are acres and acres of farmland, which is quite strange to see when just a few miles away are large executive business buildings and shopping districts.

Despite Leorio's negative comment about the building, calling it "creepy", Lucius somehow found the building to be quite calming.

The group reluctantly follows Kurapika, who has been silent the entire ride to the hotel, into the building.

Lucius enters the hotel's entrance last.

Above their heads is a small, brown-stained glass chandelier that dimly lights the lobby of the hotel. Directly in front of them sits a large wooden brown desk beside an elevator to the right. Beyond the desk is a door.

With a confident stride, Kurapika approaches the desk and knocks hard on the wooden surface, hoping to attract the attention of an employee. Lucius, feeling the strange atmosphere, keeps close to Leorio.

Out of the door behind the desk comes a large bearded man with a cardboard box in his arms.

"One sec." Is all the man tells Kurapika before dropping the box down on the floor on the other side of the desk before flipping a small memo book open on the desk before Kurapika.

"Alright." Says the man, smiling at Kurapika. "What can I do for you folks?"

Although Gon seems oblivious, the rest of the party senses something strange. Melody especially seems uncomfortable, and as it seems to Lucius that everyone in the group seems to somewhat depend on her for certain things, gives Lucius an uneasy feeling.

"We need a few rooms for us, maybe three." Says Kurapika cooly.

"So there's…" The man counts them all with his finger. "One, two, three, four, five, six… seven of you? Alright. There's two queen sized beds in each room, so it's up to you how you'd like to divide. Every room is connected by sliding doors"

Kurapika turns to them with a flat expression.

"Me and Leorio will share a room. Gon and Killua get their own room and Melody will stay with Kalluto and Lucius. Understood?"

The group nods and the man behind the desk slides the keys to kurapika, along with the keys to the sliding doors that connect all the rooms and all together, the group rides the elevator up to the third floor, exchanging uncomfortable glances.


	36. Chapter 36

**In response to:**

**Nyu: It's alright! And yeah, people really can't be born like that. You'll see how I've planned his past out to be, and you're right; it's not all roses. I mentioned in a previous chapter that Feitan was 'kicked around until he was sick of it' or at least that's what Chrollo said. So for now I shall let your mind wander~ and lucky you! The update is today!**

**jovysanchez17****: Thank you! Both of them will be completely revealed, so don't you worry.**

**Guest****: Thank you, and yes, admittedly, I have noticed that as well and the problem is that I have trouble writing out all of the in between kind of stuff, when there isn't much happening it's very boring to write. But I'm happy to say that this chapter should be a bit more entertaining for me, and I promise you a much longer chapter c:**

**SilverSapphire34523****: Yeaaah but Kurapika gotta do what Kurapika gotta do.**

**Mi-Chan****: Do they actually replace them? I never thought about putting in a replacement character in for him… I always thought that they get replaced by the person who killed them? Now I'm confused but I don't think at the moment that they have any time to replace him but that really gets me thinking. Actually now that I think about it, it makes a lot of sense and I feel sort of stupid because of Kalluto and Hisoka… maybe a sequel is in order?**

**OKAY GUYS I WENT HAM ON THIS CHAPTER UM MY HANDS HURT FROM TYPING SO MUCH HELP**

**but its okay because I love you**

* * *

Chapter 36

That night, Kalluto and Lucius easily fit together on the queen sized bed. Next to them, beside the sliding door that lead to Killua and Gon's room (which is closed for the sake of privacy) is another queen sized bed where Melody lays.

Lucius has never shared a bed before, and she hadn't expected to feel so comfortable while lying next to the sleeping Kalluto. For some odd reason, she just feels safe around him in general. Perhaps it is his feminine qualities and gentleness towards her that makes her feel as though he could- and would - never harm her.

Across from them atop a small square nightstand against the wall is a tiny box T.V. which is silently playing some sort of horror film, lighting the room up every once in awhile much like lightning would.

She turns her head away from the T.V. and towards a closet near the hotel-room door where Melody had set most of her belongings.

Soon, her eyes get heavy and she finds that she can no longer hold her eyelids in place. After getting comfortable, curling up by the upper left hand corner of the bed, she is able to drift into a heavy slumber.

* * *

"He's been out there on the roof all day. What is he doing up there?"

"Just doing Feitan things, I don't know, looking at that art book or something."

Phinks and Shalnark stand outside with their feet shielded by the tall grass that had been previously wetted by a small rain shower that took place early in the morning, looking up at Feitan's crouched figure on the roof of the mansion.

"Well, you know, it's just that we're the only ones doing any looking." Says Shalnark, stepping out closer into the forest.

"Give him a break, he's going through some stuff." replies Phinks, following him closely behind. "Besides, the Boss told us that we only have to watch the perimeter until noon, then we'll rotate with someone else and it's probably close to eleven now."

"Aww…" Shalnark coos. "There goes Mama Phinks, being all sensitive for Fei-chan."

Phinks quickly raises a fist threateningly in Shalnark's direction with a red face. "Shut the hell up, Shal! I just know when to not mess with the guy. I know better than to piss him off when he's like that, alright?"

Shalnark laughs innocently, putting up his hands in a playful manner. "Alright, Mama Phinks, whatever you say." Wisely, Shalnark changes the subject. "So he's going out to the Estate tonight, isn't he?"

"Yeah. But I doubt he's going to go along with the rules that The Boss set tonight."

"Why do you say that?"

Phinks turns back and peers up at the crouching Feitan on the roof of the mansion.

"Well… I think he's pretty serious about getting what's-her-name back as soon as possible. I'll be surprised if he doesn't murder everyone in the mansion just to get her back."

Shalnark shrugs. "I guess. But what if there's no one in the Estate in the first place?"

Phinks turns away from the mansion and begins to walk around it.

"Well," He starts. "The orders he was given was to find her location. If he can't do that tonight, i'm thinking that we won't see him until he does."

"Yeah, I see how serious Fei is about this. It's weird seeing him like that." Shalnark sighs while avoiding a branch of shrubbery on the ground while following close behind Phinks to the front of the mansion. "Instinctively, I almost made fun of him for letting some girl get to him like that, but last night…" Shalnark's smile fades, which only happens on rare occasions. Phinks stops and turns to him.

"What happened last night?"

"I passed him down the hallway and I _was _going to make a joke about it. But then I saw his face. It really looks like he's been losing sleep over this. I knew if I had said anything about her, I would have lost my head…" Shalnark walks ahead of Phinks. "I just want to know what's going to happen if she doesn't return his feelings."

"Okay, be quiet about that, alright? You can't tell anyone that I told you about that. If Feitan heard that I told you-"

"Yeah, yeah I know. But what if? What do you think he'd do?"

Phinks swallows hard. He hadn't thought about that.

"Well, I don't think he'd hurt her. Or anyone. It's hard to say…"

Shalnark and Phinks walk slowly in front of the entrance to the mansion.

"Do you want to know what I think?"

Phinks nods.

Shalnark speaks in a much quieter tone as they pass the side of the mansion leading back towards the cemetery.

"I think he'll be much worse than he is now."

"You think?"

"I don't see how else he'd respond. Or maybe after this mission, he'll just leave like he always does and never speak about it. But there's no doubt that he'll feel worse."

Phinks sighs as they reach the back of the mansion only to see that Feitan had beat them there.

Phinks greets him.

"Yo, Fei."

But then he turns to face them, and immediately Phinks understand what Shalnark was talking about.

Feitan's sunken eyes carry bags beneath them, and the spider appears to give him a much darker glare than usual. His eyes, fingers, and the corner of his mouth twitch as he meets eyes with his two companions.

"F-Fei?"

Feitan doesn't respond.

Silently, he passes Shalnark and Phinks and once they turn, he is nowhere to be found.

Shalnark just shrugs and says:

"Told you so."

* * *

Kalluto changes the channels on the television while Lucius passes his vision to the bathroom next to the small box television. He notices that she is still wearing the clothing that she borrowed from Killua.

"Hey, Killua!" He shouts over his shoulder.

Killua swings his head into the room from the sliding door that separates the rooms from each other and gives out a casual "hm?" in response.

Kalluto waits until he hears the shower running and whispers so that Lucius cannot hear him from behind the closed bathroom door.

"Don't you think we should try to find her some different clothes or something? She only has the pair you lent her."

Killua scratches at his head and sighs.

"I'll see what I can do. Kurapika can be kind of stubborn but I guess it's a necessity."

Kalluto flinches as he can hear Kurapika raise his voice at Killua, but soon Kalluto can tell that Killua has reasoned with the cranky Kurta, as their discussion becomes quieter and much calmer.

He smiles.

He wishes he could do more kind things for Lucius. He still feels guilt that cuts deep into his chest whenever he sees the bruises and scabs on her back, not to mention the white bandage that covers her head injury.

She was kind to him. Dressed him up and made him feel beautiful. And he thanked her by pushing her off of a balcony.

Kalluto sighs and lays on his side.

He has no time to be upset, though.

He has completed his objective: Find Killua.

For now, Kalluto knows that he can rest easy.

After a few minutes in the shower, Lucius comes out in the same clothing with a towel draped over her head. Her wet bangs cover half of her eyes as she walks towards him but stops as Kurapika and Leorio enters the room.

"Hey tykes," Says Leorio, "How about a night on the town?"

Kalluto sits up from his position.

"In YorkNew?" He asks. "Shouldn't we stay away from the city?"

Gon jumps through the gap in between Kurapika and Leorio in the doorway with a grin, pouncing in front of Lucius.

"Kurapika says that there's a town not too far from here! We get to buy you new clothes, Lucius!"

Lucius parts her lips slightly before giving a weak smile to the grinning child before her. Kalluto can tell in her voice that she tries her best to sound enthusiastic, but she cannot seem to shake the monotone veil over her voicebox.

"That sounds nice." She looks up at Kurapika. "Are you sure?"

Kurapika, shockingly, smiles at her. "It would be wrong of me to let you wander around in the same clothes for such a long period. We can go whenever you two are ready."

Kurapika leaves the room and shuts the door behind him after Melody enters the room and happily greets them.

Lucius quietly utters something to Kalluto.

"Thank you."

Kalluto blinks.

"What did I do?"

"You told him about the clothing."

"You heard? All the way from the shower?"

Kalluto looks behind Lucius and can tell that their conversation caught her attention.

Lucius nods.

"I would have thought that you'd know me better. We were partners, were we not?"

Kalluto fumbles over his words, slightly flustered.

"A-Ah. You see, we were only acquaintances. I knew about your music and sharp ears… I didn't think they were _that _sharp."

To his surprise, Lucius chuckles and sits next to him on the bed.

"Yes, I heard you. If you would like, I could prove this by telling you what I can hear from the room beside us."

Kalluto furrows his brow. Certainly she's lying. He can't even hear a word being spoken between his brother and Gon. Is it her Nen that allows her to do that? If so, how is she able to do it _without _her Nen?

Kalluto agrees, and Lucius seems to listen for a moment, cocking her head slightly without removing her gaze from him. And when she is finished, she speaks.

"Your brother is recalling a moment from his childhood." She pauses. "He climbed a tree to hide from his brother to avoid punishment."

Kalluto distinctly remembers this embarrassing moment that his brother went through when they were young. Killua left the mansion and never returned, but stayed on the property. Illumi went out to search for him, and Killua climbed the highest tree on the mountain to avoid getting in trouble by their mother.

Kalluto wonders if it could just be some freakish coincidence, but Melody confirms.

"She is not lying. It's a common trait among the Dupont family. A trait that both her and my family share."

* * *

Lucius looks back at melody.

"You are a Music Hunter?"

Melody nods with a smile. "And just like you, I can hear through these walls. Haven't you wondered why I can tell when others are lying?"

Lucius sits on the bed next to Kalluto, who crawls next to her to join the conversation, and faces Melody.

"I don't understand how that has anything to do with music or listening…" Kalluto says, furrowing his thin eyebrows.

"It has everything to do with listening." Says Melody while holding her hands up to her ears. "Lucius-San, are you able to hear my heartbeat from over there on that bed?"

Lucius, who is put off guard after Melody has spoken to her with such respect, nods. She is able to hear heartbeats, but after hearing them for so long and so often, she taught herself to tune it all out; like white noise. If she wanted, Lucius could listen to the breath of anyone within a 60 meter radius from herself in each direction.

But that's only if she wanted. Easily, and sometimes without trying, Lucius is able to tune out all of that much like the hum of an air conditioner. It slips her mind. Her ability is only useful when she actually _tries _to listen.

Lucius knows what Melody is getting at.

"When someone is lying, their heart races in search for a way out." Says Melody. "Can you tell someone's emotion from their heartbeat?"

Lucius shakes her head. "No. But I am capable of changing them myself."

"That is one of the first things that I was taught when I was young. But as a Dupont, those things came naturally to you, didn't they?"

"Yes." Lucius looks at the ceiling. "With the little information I have of my family, I can confirm that each child was born with the ability to change emotion with our own voices."

Melody chuckles. "I am a bit envious, to tell you the truth."

Lucius looks back at the floor and folds her arms, leaning on them and hunching over as if she has a stomach ache.

"The Dupont gene is nothing to be envious of, I assure you." She pauses. "they tend to be overwhelming." She tucks a piece of hair behind her ear.

"I sense that you're getting uncomfortable. I'm sorry. I'm just a bit excited to meet another Music Hunter."

Lucius cocks her head as she stares at the blue carpet. She hadn't actually thought of becoming a hunter.

_A hunter…? _

Surely she is capable of it.

Before she is able to think much more of the subject, Gon enters the room with Killua whining.

"Come on," Says Killua. "It's so boring in this hotel room! Let's go out and do something!"

"Oh, my apologies." Says Melody. "It seems I've kept everyone far too long. Let's go, then."

* * *

The group arrives in the next town over, which happens to be a prominent shopping district that attracts tourists and travellers while on their way to YorkNew. Homes are replaced by apartment buildings in this small town and the streets and sidewalks are flooded with people.

"...Do all these people live here…?" Gon wonders aloud as the car pulls up to a curb near a grocery store.

Leorio turns around in the passenger seat to face them.

"Only a select few people live in this town, most of the people you see in the streets are tourists on their way to YorkNew."

"Yeah." Killua agreed. "And most the people who actually live here are too shady to even come outside. I would know, friends of Milluki live here."

Kalluto pushes himself back into his seat with a look of disgust, silently muttering to himself and sticking out his tongue.

Lucius unbuckles herself from her seat. "Who is Milluki?"

Both Kalluto and Killua groan, not answering her question as they all exit the vehicle.

"Alright." Kurapika yawns and cracks his back. "We're allowed to split up here… but keep in touch, alright? If anything strange happens, inform me at once."

Gon holds up his cellphone and nods happily.

"Alright. Melody, you stay with them, alright? If you detect anything weird…"

"I know Kurapika," Says Melody with a soothing smile. "I'll do everything in my power to keep them safe. For now, we should try to relax and have fun."

Kurapika looks up at the sky with a worried expression and sighs.

"You're right."

With that, the group decides to split so that they may meet up later after getting their necessities. Melody, Kalluto, Killua, Gon and Lucius go towards the east side of the shopping district to find a few clothing stores.

Lucius, however, hasn't spoken with any interest in any of them.

After around ten minutes, the group looks at Lucius with mild concern.

"Um, Lucius… have you seen anything you like yet?"

Lucius blinks and stops in her tracks.

Oh yeah, they're shopping for clothes. For her.

She feels a lump in her throat as she looks them all back in the eyes.

Why is she suddenly so embarrassed?

Well, there is the fact that she has never actually shopped for her own clothes before. She has only ever been dressed in clothing that her father gave to her, which consisted of mostly black dollish attire with frills and tight blouses, and that happens to be the clothing that she feels most comfortable in. But, would it be selfish of her to make them pay for such a thing? Perhaps her taste is too expensive?

Is she thinking too much?

The group look at her with sheepish smiles. Kalluto pipes up.

"I know what she likes."

"Well, Kalluto knows everything, doesn't he?" Killua teases Kalluto by nudging him with his elbow.

"W-Well, I mean. I have an idea, in case she doesn't remember what she likes…" Kalluto looks down with a blush forming on his face. "There was a store back there that may be just what we're looking for."

Lucius nods. "I trust your intuition." She sighs and looks back in the direction they came from.

Killua groans. "I don't see why this is so difficult, we're just looking for clothes!" He puts his hands behind his head as they head in the opposite direction.

The store they approach leads an elegant header above its stained glass doors reading something in french. Lucius says the store's name aloud

"Papillon"

Killua scoffs. "What's that? Italian?"

Lucius shakes her head. "No, French."

The fact that the store's name is in french somewhat makes her feel much more comfortable with the place. In the windows are mannequins clad in lolita-esque clothing, which also soothes her soul.

The group opens the door and is immediately greeted with a very eager employee wearing a simple black, spaghetti strap dress with a white apron. Her blonde hair is tied back with a big black bow, and her make up seems to be rather.. "out there" if you will.

What bothers Lucius about this woman, is how she pronounces the stores name.

"Hello! Welcome to 'pa-pill-on' where we bring out your inner royal blood!"

When she is shrouded by second-hand embarrassment, Lucius ignores the woman and walks past her into the store, and she continues to speak to Gon and Killua.

Uncomfortably, the two boys search for ways to rid themselves of the woman by walking around the store aimlessly, but to their dismay, she follows them. Kalluto, Lucius and Melody are left to search throughout the store.

"All these clothes seem so elegant… Is this what you are used to wearing at your home?" Melody asks as she gawks at all the frilly clothing along with Kalluto and Lucius.

"Yes." She answers quietly. She takes a moment to check the price tag on one of the articles of clothing and is nearly physically affected by the outrageous price. "But perhaps we should-"

"Lucius! Over here! This would look nice on you!"

Lucius looks back behind her to see Gon (who has somehow separated himself from Killua and the crazy employee) holding a white frilled blouse in his hands. Melody smiles and whispers something to her.

"Don't worry about the price. Go on, have some fun."

Kalluto happily follows her in Gon's direction and Gon hands her the blouse with a large innocent smile.

"Don't you think it's nice? It reminded me of this old antique doll that my Aunt has."

Lucius smiles and nods, and Kalluto returns to her side.

"We could get you a few outfits, that's what Melody told me. Do you want to find something to match that?"

Lucius looks back at Kalluto, wondering why he is so eager to help her. Reluctantly, she agrees and Kalluto leads her to the back of the store where there's a large dressing room surrounded by tall wooden mirrors.

As she looks at herself, Lucius can't help but be worried about her shabby appearance.

Undoubtedly, most people she passed on the street earlier must have thought she was a boy at first glance. Before heading into one of the dressing rooms, Kalluto helps her untie the bandage around her head so that she may slip the blouse on.

She returns outside of the dressing room into the room full of mirrors to see that Gon has already picked out another article of clothing for her.

"I found these really nice black shorts that are puffy and stuff! They're not like most of the dresses I saw, but I thought they would look cool with these tights because you'd look like a jester!"

Gon holds up a pair of white and black striped tights with an even larger smile. Killua approaches him from behind with an even bigger smile, stifling his laughter.

"You seem to be enjoying this much more than you should, Gon." Says Killua.

"It actually looks nice." Says Kalluto, ignoring Killua. "It'll be more eccentric than your other clothing though…"

Lucius nods with a smile. She turns back to the dressing room, deciding to wear it for Gon's enjoyment and for the fact that it's different.

And she doesn't dislike it either.

She comes back and Gon claps for her, and she can't help but smile when he hands her a dress that he picked out for her.

* * *

Kurapika sighs audibly with his phone pressed to his face; anger swelling deep within him as his call goes, yet again, unanswered.

Then, his ringtone goes off while his phone is still pressed to his face. He has received a text message from Killua.

'if you've been calling Gon's phone, he's way too invested in dressing Lucius up to pick up the phone. Also he left it in the bathroom.'

Kurapika groans and turns to Leorio.

"Well, they're kids; they get to live like them."

Kurapika crosses his arms as the two make their way down the street. Leorio looks at his watch.

"Woah, it's already six!"

Then, a loud clap of thunder attracts their attention to the sky.

"We might as well head back…" Says Kurapika, almost exhausted.

"U-Um.. Kurapika?"

"Hm?"

"Did we really need this much spaghetti?"

Kurapika looks at the dozen take-out boxes in Leorio's arms before returning his attention to his cellphone to check the weather.

"There's seven of us in total, and you've seen how much Gon and Killua eat by themselves."

Kurapika then holds the cellphone back to his face, dialing Killua's number before doing so.

* * *

Feitan stands on the roof of the mansion, refusing Shalnark and Phinks as they attempt to lure him down. Behind him, the door to the roof of the mansion opens and Chrollo walks in his direction with a smile on his face. He turns to face his leader, but he does not look him in the eye.

"I can feel your excitement." Chrollo mentions as he stands by Feitan's side. "You have my blessing to leave early."

Feitan's eyes widen as his heart skips a beat and he looks at his leader, who is looking off into the forest surrounding the mansion

Feitan speaks in a raspy hushed whisper.

"Now?"

Chrollo smiles and nods and looks at him.

"Go."

* * *

**okay guys that's all i can do for this chapter. Next chapter is when some action happens!**

**also, I need your opinions, if I say, came up with a good enough plot to make a sequel, would you be at all interested?**


	37. Chapter 37

**In response to: **

**Mi-Chan****: Then you, my friend, have given me an idea that I'm going to use in the sequel (if I can make the fic just as fabulous as this one, that is.) So thank you! I hope it doesn't disappoint c: And this whole phenomenon is so new to Feitan, poor thing is all night thinking about how strange it is~ And thank you for all your support ! I appreciate it**

**DelphiniumSweets:** **I'm happy to serve the people who love Feitan just as much as I do! And x OC stories aren't appreciated by some, I'm just happy that you guys appreciate it so much. (and dont worry bout the typo, pal~)**

**jovysanchez17****: Gon's significant other would be so lucky because he's so optimistic and honestly I think he could make the littlest, most boring things fun somehow. **

_**SilverSapphire34523**_**:** **Thank you so much!**

**Mina****: Thank you c': *hugs you***

**OoO****: Heeheehee Someone's been paying special close attention~ Yes, yes and yes. she could tell that he wouldn't (and couldn't) hurt her, and his attitude gave a lot away about his character; He needs to be dominant. So you can, for sure, say that Lucius knows what he feels and that she understands what someone must go through to come out in such a way. so she never once stripped him of his dominance (for both his sake and her own safety) and you could say that she always had a witty comeback to make sure that he knew that she wouldn't submit to him. And of course, his reactions to that are always hilarious. She sees herself in him. You're a good guesser, I bet you know people very well and that's a nice trait to have! **

**Parasitic Shadow****: eeeeee! Thank you! I'd probably be sad with nothing to write when it ended anyway.**

**Maga****: YES YES YES!**

**Also I went through the responses backwards for some reason sorry lmao**

* * *

Chapter 37

Feitan leans forward behind a large birch tree, staring up at the Estate with a dead darkened gaze. Inside the lit building showed no movement, but Feitan's enhanced senses tell him that there's some type of activity within the home, and he knows well that in hard situations, his instincts are always absolute.

He approaches the building with a slow pace, calmly checking the perimeter for anyone seeking a failed ambush.

And if anyone did happen to attempt a sneak attack, Feitan would have them decapitated within seconds. There's no reason for him to play nice tonight, so why not leave a bloody mess to conjure up some panic?

His left shoulder twitches as he detects movement in one of the top right third floor windows. He takes a quick and silent step, dashing for the wall of the building and he looks up at the silhouette in the lit window.

A feminine shadow slowly glides from window to window as he gets closer to the mansion's entrance. He checks the surrounding area again before checking through another window near the entrance to ensure that no one was in there. Then, he grabs the doorknob and observes it for a second before twisting it.

Locked.

He closes his eyes for a moment, and with a quick motion fueled only by rage, he completely rips the door knob out of the door, throwing it on the doorstep after he kicks the door open. It smacks against the wall as he walks in with silent steps.

Below the bright glass chandelier hanging above his head and before the large staircase leading upwards to the second floor, he stands; waiting for anyone who could have heard him break in.

After a few moments of absolutely nothing happening, he decides that the silence is suspicious.

But that isn't stopping him from checking the surrounding rooms, which includes a kitchen, bathroom, dining room and a living room. After concluding that all rooms are vacant, he then returns to the entrance where he stands before the elegant carpeted staircase, waiting for only a moment before making his way up the staircase, and looking around the hallway carefully for the feminine silhouette that he had seen earlier. He carefully and quietly checks each room, only to find that they are all just as vacant as the ones on the first floor.

He checks the very last room in the hallway and makes a shocking discovery.

The room is just like all the other 4 bedrooms that he has seen on this floor, but carefully laid across the queen size bed is the dress that Lucius had worn on the night of the ball.

He closes the door behind him and stares at the dress.

The only thing that occupies the room along with himself is the dress, the furniture, and the surrounding darkness, as it is the only room in the entire Estate that was left unlit.

He draws closer to the bed and kneels at the end, gaze locked on the black and red blood-stained fabric.

He slowly reaches out a hand to touch the blood stain on the back of the dress, seeing that it has dried since the night of the Ball.

He sighs, finding comfort in the darkness and his newfound positive thoughts.

This is a sign to him that Lucius is at least okay.

There would be no reason to strip her of her clothing if she were dead. No, The Chain User wouldn't have taken the time. He would have just buried her after he murdered her, just like he did Uvo. And The Chain User's moral standards are too high to strip her of her clothing and…

'_No, stop thinking.' _

He grabs his head and sits on the bed beside the dress.

If only his mind wouldn't wander so much, then he would have the energy to complete this mission much quicker. Such thoughts will only give him more things to keep him up at night.

He convinces himself that Lucius is safe.

Safe. Safe. _Safe. _

And he wipes his mind of all thoughts.

And he doesn't think.

* * *

The maid stretches her arms above her head, yawning.

Finally, she has finished cleaning the third floor of the Nostrade Estate.

And no one is there to appreciate it.

She sighs and sets the broom against a wall, wiping off a few beads of sweat from her forehead.

She goes to sit down on one of the many armchairs that are set up in Neon's hallway of nightmares that leads to the former psychic's bedroom. But before the poor, overworked maid can catch her breath, she hears what sounds like footsteps coming from the second floor of the mansion.

Goosebumps hit her bare arms and legs and she stops breathing completely, focusing on the noises that she hears from the floor directly below her.

Fear and panic settles in as she wonders who else could be in the house with her.

She was told by one of Neon's bodyguards that no one but staff was to be allowed in the Estate for approximately four months, and they seemed to rush out of the building without another word.

As for Neon, she was told that she would stay with a friend in another state.

Hesitantly, the woman slowly lifts herself off of the armchair and she tries again to listen, but unfortunately she cannot hear anything past her own heartbeat.

She arms herself with the broom, just in case, but finds that she is too afraid to move.

Whatever it is on the second floor of the mansion, it is heading her way up the stairwell.

* * *

The group had set up a kind of makeshift dining table when they finally returned from their long drive back to the hotel from the neighboring town.

The table was a combination of coffee tables and nightstands collected from all three of their rooms, which all surprisingly fit in Kurapika and Leorio's hotel room.

Gon, Kalluto, Killua and Lucius sit at the makeshift dining table, patiently waiting to be served their spaghetti while Melody, Leorio and Kurapika are in Gon and Killua's room, making use of a microwave that was conveniently placed across from their beds next to a miniature refrigerator.

"I feel like this could be the strangest thing I have ever done." Says kalluto with a awkward smile, comparing the height differences of each table that makes up their makeshift dining table.

"No, you mean that this is the most ghetto thing you've ever done. The _strangest _thing you've ever done was join the Phantom Troupe." Says Killua as he leans on the nightstand that sits in front of him. "And you still have to explain yourself."

Kalluto puffs his cheeks, scowling. "It was all to find you, you know." He mumbles.

"The strangest thing Killua has done is become friends with an octopus named Ikalgo!" Says Gon to Lucius with a smile. "And the strangest thing I've ever done was become a man even before I hit puberty! What about you, Lucius?"

Lucius, who is sitting at the end of their pretend dining table, widens her eyes at Gon's response, far too confused to come up with her response to his question. She raises her eyebrows, unable to believe her ears. In fact, she even doubts for a moment that she heard him correctly or perhaps mistranslated his words.

She leans in closer to him, speaking with utmost concern. "...What did you just say?"

"He became a man, somehow." Says Killua, confirming that her ears had not misheard him.

And then, Gon continues to explain to her something that she is almost certain never happened.

According to Gon's explanation, Mutant ants that somehow took the form of animals, began to eat people and repopulate and threatened to take over the world…

And Gon risked his life to take down a single one which happened to be one of the strongest of them all.

Lucius further expresses her concern by looking at Kalluto, who only nods.

Their conversation ends when Leorio and Kurapika come carrying the dozen takeout boxes and set them on the table(s) in front of them along with plastic utensils.

"Eat up."

* * *

Upon meeting eyes with the stranger, The maid brought a hand to her mouth.

The figure was small and cloaked in black from head to toe. The bottom half of his face is covered by a collar, which bares a symbol of a skull and cross-bones. Radiating from his body is some sort of dangerous aura, that leaves her skin tingling.

It is like he is bloodthirsty.

He just glares at her for a moment, and she stares back as beads of sweat begin to form on her forehead again. And then, as she is about to ask what the hell he could want from her, suddenly he begins to advance towards her with a frighteningly calm glide.

His eyes, his blank, black pupils express no emotion and paralyze her with fear.

When he is just in arm's reach, she jumps back instinctively, stepping back without looking away from his eyes and dropping the broom in her hands.

Then, her heel is caught by the leg of the armchair, and she falls on her behind as the small cloaked man continues to pursue.

He stops at the end of her feet and crouches, leering above her.

He speaks to her with venom dripping from his words as if she had wronged him horribly, speaking in between heavy breaths with a soft, tired and strained voice.

"Where… is… Chain User?"

"Ch-Chain User? I-I don't know what you're talking about!" The maid attempts to make distance by crawling backwards, but the cloaked man pulls out a knife and within seconds her vision is blurred.

The man pins her up against the wall, holding her by the throat with surprising strength. His expression eerily remains the same as he tightens the grip around her neck.

She gasps for breath but only chokes.

"Blonde. Red eyes. Bodyguard. Where is he?"

The description immediately rings bells and she struggles to speak to tell him that she doesn't know, and he loosens his grip enough so that she can speak.

"H-He left without a word! I swear, I don't know!"

He squeezes her neck harder, causing the veins in her throat to swell.

"You better give me answer before I kill you." He says as he lifts the knife in his other hand.

Her mind races to some conclusion but can't come up with any.

'_Please, God. Not this.' _

He loosens his grip again and she gasps for air, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I-I'm sorry, p-please! Take anything you want, Please don't kill me!"

And with absolutely no emotion at all, Feitan plunges the knife into her gut and she lurches back, tears falling from her cheeks.

But then, as he holds the knife inside of her stomach, she realizes the information that she really has.

She remembers cleaning Neon's bedroom and picking up the teenager's diary which had been sprawled on the floor with a numerous amount of other items. And thankfully, her curiosity had gotten the better of her.

She remembers the entry had been about how much fun she'd have living with her friend for a few months, and that her bodyguards were going on vacation and are staying in a hotel called…

called…

He twists the knife, triggering her memories.

"Aughh! Stop, stop I know where they are, please!"

He takes the knife out of the woman's stomach and she falls limp to the floor, spitting blood onto her black and white maid outfit.

He kneels.

"Then speak."

"The Hotel Epitome just past YorkNew! That's where they went! Please, please…" The woman begins to sob. "Please don't kill me…"

The man puts a hand over her mouth and says words in her ear that she cannot understand. Then, just as someone would gut a pig or fish, he plunges the knife back into her gut, which causes her to scream against the palm of his hand and he forces the knife upwards, continuing up to her throat until her screams became muffled sobs, and finally…

Silence.

He removes his hand and the knife, and her body falls limp on her side.

He wipes the blood that she spit up into his hand on his cloak before exiting the Estate through one of the third floor windows.

* * *

Lucius slurps another noodle into her mouth as she continues to listen to Gon speak of his adventures with his father when he sees Killua creeping from behind him with a handful of spaghetti in his hand. Killua lifts a finger to his lips and Kalluto chuckles.

Gon turns his head towards Killua, who smashes his handful of noodles right into Gon's face.

Lucius gasps, and she thought at first that he would react negatively as he sat with the spaghetti sauce and noodles dripping down his face silently.

Killua snerks as a giant grin appears on Gon's face as he slurps up the noodles and wipes his eyes before grabbing his entire plate and shoving it into Killua's face and holding it there while Killua sits completely still.

Kalluto laughs and Lucius puts a hand over her smirk; checking the other room to see if Kurapika and Melody have noticed their little food fight, but it seems that they have started to watch the news in Gon and Killua's room as Leorio enters the room they are eating in and closes the door behind him.

Leorio gasps and smiles while grabbing from the pile of spaghetti on his plate.

"I want in on this"

He smiles fiendishly at Lucius and Kalluto, but Kalluto puts up his hands in protest.

"Wait wait wait." He says while standing. "If we're going to have a food fight, I'm going to change first since everyone here is all about sleeping in spaghetti stained pajamas, I'll join you."

With that, Kalluto climbs over Gon and Killua, who have began to wrestle with spaghetti noodles hanging from their hair and noses and walks into the next room and closes the door behind him.

Leorio turns to threaten Lucius with the ball of noodles in his hand, but instead he is met with a face full of sauce and a fork hitting his face. He shakes it off to see that Lucius has stood with her own ball of spaghetti in hand.

He smiles and laughs fiendishly, taking a kind of cowboy-ish stance.

"Nice shootin' Tex." He says with a southern accent. "But I'm afraid you've started a war."

Lucius smiles, a big goofy kind of sheepish smile that the group hasn't seen on her face before. She lets out a little chuckle, which fuels Leorio's urge to make her smile more.

Leorio spots a little chunk of spaghetti noodles that Gon and Killua had thrown on the floor and returns his gaze to Lucius, who has been waiting for a moment to grab some more spaghetti and continue their war. Before she can make any movement, he steps forward and allows his shoe to slip forward, causing himself to fall.

* * *

Kalluto smiles as he closes the door that separates his room with Gon and Killua's, where Kurapika and Melody sit watching the television, blissfully unaware of the food fight going on in the other hotel room.

The sound of Lucius's laughter can be heard even from this room.

Happily, he waltzes from the door to his bag near his bed where he stuffed his new pajamas that he was able to get on their shopping spree, gleefully listening to Lucius laugh.

It was a nice change from her usual stoic attitude; and he can tell that she is much happier in such an uplifting environment.

He wishes as he begins to undress and get into his pajamas that she would laugh more often, even though when she laughs it is usually quiet chuckles. Seeing her happier than normal makes him feel less guilty.

Guilt is a rarity when it comes to Kalluto. Usually he feels no kind of remorse when he hurts someone, he is a Zoldyck after all. But Lucius made him feel comfortable, and comfort is not something he felt when it came to the Phantom Troupe.

He felt as though she was the kind of sibling that he always wanted. And perhaps he can make up the whole "balcony" situation by helping her in her new life.

After he is completely changed, he decides to go to the bathroom before returning to their food fight. Afterwards, he takes the time to wash his hands and brush through his hair. He then turns off the light and walks into the unlit, empty hotel room.

But suddenly, he is stopped by some sort of strong, almost demonic aura that paralyzes him.

It was like the air became heavy and muggy with despair and anger. It was a feeling that was made familiar to him by spending lots of time with Illumi.

Kalluto holds his breath, choking on the red, deadly aura around him.

His head slowly turns towards the dark figure standing in the moonlight that floods through the open window, which is glaring at him with a death glare that is all too familiar to him.

"F-Feitan?!"

* * *

**BUM BUM BUUUUUUUH**

**Sorry if some parts got shitty, I kind of had a rough week and I was sick for most the week but I hope it was at least enjoyable.**


	38. Chapter 38

**Alright I would like to start out by apologising because I was unable to update last week because I ended up going to an anime con (which was a complete surprise to me) and I am unsure when this will be posted because school starts on the 8th but I promise I will try to get it out soon. **

**In response to: **

**BK-207: aw, thank you pal! This was nice to read! And well Feitan can be an unpredictable character, making him quite fun to write and I suspect anyone who's crush was kidnapped would be worried sick, especially if you were in Feitan's shoes. And you're absolutely right, All the information I've given about Feitan's past is that he had to deal with being tossed around until he was sick of it, which was also similar to Lucius's past. Chrollo could have been there at the very beginning, or maybe he was some sort of saviour? Well, there is nothing that is stated about his past in the anime other than he was one of the founding members of the Troupe. So, I get to make my own past for him c: And yes, I'm thinking Phinks is probably aware, as he seems to know Feitan the best out of the Troupe. And I still have not decided when exactly to give Feitan's past out completely, my apologies. **

**SilverSapphire34523: lmao poor Kallu.**

**Guest: AND IM SO SORRY I MADE YOU WAIT AFTER THAT CLIFFHANGER THAT WAS NOT MY INTENTION**

**Miih-chan: Thank you! And I was so sad to see so little love for Feitan, I'm happy to give the Troupe the love they deserve.**

**Mi-chan: Aw I just love it when you say "have a nice day" it makes me feel so loved c: And I'm hoping to make the sequel more awesome **

**jovysanchez17: Fei is so sad and Lucius is so happy! What to do in this situation, hm?**

**Mina: IM SORRY FOR MY ABSENCE. enjoy a chapter without a cliffhanger **

**cm21: AGAIN SO SORRY**

**Sorry for the blabbering, on to the chapter!**

* * *

Chapter 38

A hand slaps against Kalluto's lips, silencing him and forcing him him against the closet wall. Kalluto's eyes widen in fear as he stares back into the eyes of the intruder.

If glares could kill, He'd be mutilated.

Feitan spoke in a raspy, tired voice and snarled.

"Where the fuck is Lucius? You speak quiet so no one notice or I kill you and white haired kid."

Kalluto shivers and nods rapidly as Feitan removes his hand from the boy's mouth, a bead of sweat dripping down the bridge of his nose as he answers Feitan's question in a low whisper.

"S-She's safe, i-in the other room with the others a-and-"

Feitan grabs him by the shoulders. His bloodlust is loose, but not everywhere. He is being threatening, letting Kalluto know that if he fucked up, he'd kill him. Letting him know just how severe of a mistake he had made when he betrayed the Troupe.

"Did they hurt her?!"

Suddenly the sincere worry became obvious in Feitan's voice, and Feitan notices it too, as he clears his throat when his voice cracks.

Kalluto studies his face. For some reason that Kalluto can not grasp, Feitan is actually worried for Lucius. And he wonders why, because he was under the impression that Feitan hated her.

Feitan shakes Kalluto's body when he hesitates to answer his question.

"N-No, they didn't. s-she's not hurt at all… but her head is-"

"That your fucking fault, kid!" Feitan grips Kalluto's shoulders hard, displaying his unforgiving anger as he digs into Kalluto's skin. Kalluto whimpers as Feitan gets threateningly close.

"You better be telling truth…" Feitan eyes the door to the next room, where he hears muffled laughter. "I see for myself."

Feitan releases Kalluto and heads for the door, but Kalluto runs up to him and tugs on his arm, trying desperately to pull him away.

"S-Stop! You'll just make things worse for her!"

Feitan immediately spins around, a loud smack is heard when Feitan's hand comes into contact with Kalluto's cheek, knocking the boy hard onto the ground.

"What the hell you mean?!"

From the other room, he can hear someone calling him. It's Kurapika.

"Kalluto, are you okay in there?"

Feitan sends a threatening glance, and Kalluto cooperates.

"Yes! I-I'm okay, I just… fell."

Kurapika hesitates before replying. "Okay, Melody left to go outside for awhile, if you'd like to join her to get some air after you eat, it would be wise."

Kalluto stands, taking a step back from Feitan, who's glare hasn't moved.

"Okay, thank you."

Kalluto mentally sighs in relief. Thankfully, Melody isn't around to hear him and Feitan talking.

"What you mean, I make it worse for her?" Asks Feitan, who now seems even more agitated as he takes a step towards him again.

"I-I mean…" Kalluto speaks much quieter now in precaution. "I mean, she's happy to be here."

This seems to catch Feitan off guard, and his bloodlust seems to fade as the comment piqued his curiosity.

"She's.. happy to be here?" Feitan narrows his eyes in suspicion. "But Chain User kidnapped her."

"He did but…" Kalluto sighs, feeling much calmer now that Feitan isn't about to rip his vocal cords right out of his neck. "When she fell… She lost her memory of everything."

"What?!"

"shhh, be quiet or they'll come in here! Not all of her memories, I should say. She only remembers being with her old family. She doesn't know anything about you, the Troupe, or the Desdemona Shadowmen…"

Feitan takes a step back, his eyes widening. Suddenly, an expression of horror mixed with sadness and disbelief creeps upon Feitan's face as he stumbles back on the bed near the window, pulling his collar up to his mouth to hide his expression.

Kalluto takes a step back, hoping that the room doesn't burst into flames, awkwardly standing as Feitan mutters words to himself that Kalluto cannot understand.

Then, he says:

"You a liar… you covering up for The Chain User…" But then he hides his face to him by turning towards the window. Kalluto can tell that he is shaking in either anger or anguish.

Or both.

"Feitan, I care about her." Kalluto says, holding up his hands in attempt to calm the spider. "I'm not lying to you."

Feitan shakes much more violently for a moment and he cracks his neck and just stands there, looking out the window.

Then, he stops and slumps back further onto the bed.

A few minutes pass by and neither of them say anything, Kalluto deems it best to try to lighten the situation, hoping to keep his head in the process.

"Can I ask you why you suddenly care? If you tell me, maybe I could help you… in some way."

Feitan doesn't reply until he stands from the bed, looking down at the ground and away from him.

He speaks in a pained whisper.

"You cant understand. I need her, you understand?"

Kalluto cocks his head to the side. "...No, I don't. I mean, just a few days ago you were sending her glares."

Feitan sighs and looks up at the ceiling, swallowing hard.

Kalluto knows that there was no way Feitan would tell him, so the only way to get it out of him was to guess.

"Are you… Do you… Is it possible that you're kind of… you know, in love with her?"

Feitan grabs at his chest very suddenly, letting out a sharp exhale.

"I need know for sure." He says, suddenly very quickly heading towards the window. "I need know if she's happy here. You stay or I kill you and hang you from this window."

Kalluto, with his jaw agape, watches the spider jump from the window and hang on the edge. He rushes to the window when Feitan begins to crawl to the other window.

"No, no no! Feitan, they'll see you!"

* * *

With all of his strength, Feitan pushes off of the brick building with his feet, jumping for the window to his right, and checking it. But upon seeing that Lucius is not there, he jumps for the next.

He can only think of how horribly he would end Kalluto's life if he is lying to him.

With a grimace, Feitan pulls himself up the windowsill, peering inside of the room.

he gasps and grabs his chest again, nearly falling from the window.

There sits Lucius, spaghetti hanging from her hair and clothes, laughing with two children and an older man who he recognized to be The Chain User's closest friends. He had never seen him like this before, so happy and energized when she used to seem so tired and sly and secretive. When, here she is, a completely different being.

He sits there and watches in disbelief, clutching his chest and leaning up against the bricks, both drunk off her smile and pain.

He feels many things right now. Betrayal, heartbreak, but most of all one feeling sticks out the most.

Anger.

Not at her, never at her, not anymore. Seeing her smile like that, he can't be angry at her.

He's angry at himself, for knowing that he won't be able to complete this mission. He's angry for spending most of his time with her while glaring or attempting to harm her. Angry that the moment he began to warm up to her, she was ripped away from him. Only just when he began to find the sight of her enjoyable, the words she spoke were enjoyable.

Should he mourn, as if the person she was is dead? And throw away the only joy he can experience for her own?

Suddenly, as he is watching, Lucius takes another handful of spaghetti and throws it at the man near the door, who ducks just as the door opens.

The Chain User is the unfortunate bastard who gets hit, right in the face.

Feitan's eye twitches and his heart stops, believing that The Chain User would harm her.

She brings her hands to her mouth and her smile fades, eyes widened.

The brown haired child next to her laughs, while the others share her expression.

The Chain User, who's eyes are closed as spaghetti drips from his face, looks at the white haired child with an unamused expression. But the child seems to try to convince him that he wasn't the one who did it, pointing a finger at the brown haired child. And the brown haired child immediately blames Lucius, who then, not knowing what else to do, points at the man who had dodged her throw.

And slowly, the blonde's expression lightens and he seems to let out a laugh.

And soon they are all laughing.

Mocking him.

Feitan exhales again shakily, dropping from the windowsill to the ground below him.

He had completed his mission for tonight.

But what will he do tomorrow?

* * *

Kalluto begins to hyperventilate as he paces around the room, trying to gather what exactly just happened.

Feitan is suddenly super concerned about Lucius, and he's on a mission to bring her back to the Shadowmen, and he almost killed him because he thought he was lying, but then he saw that he wasn't and he just… left?

What should he do with this information?!

Surely he cannot tell the others for Killua's sake.

But Lucius…?

He offered to help Feitan, but only for his brother's sake. Only to keep him safe.

And if they found out, they would think that he was betraying them.

'_Okay, okay calm down. Lower your damn heart rate!' _

It was to his knowledge that Melody can tell when people are being sketchy from their heartbeats, so the only thing he is trying to focus on at the moment is getting himself calm and collected.

Too late.

The door from the other room swings open, and Melody walks in, and hears it.

Hears his stupidly suspicious heartbeat.

She immediately rushes to his side.

"Kalluto? Are you alright? If something happened, you must tell me!"

Not knowing what else to do, and bringing out the child (and actor) within him, Kalluto, from all the stress and anticipation and anxiety that the previous event caused, lets it all out. He collapses onto the bed behind him and begins to sob into his sleeve.

Melody, being the kind-hearted woman that he knows she is, begins to immediately try to comfort him by rushing to his side and rubbing his back.

"Oh dear, sweetie what happened? Did something happen to you?!"

Kalluto, covers his eyes with his hands.

"S-Something s-scary… something scary just happened and I-"

He mentally smirks. What a fantastic plan.

In reality, he's not exactly lying. Feitan scared the hell out of him. He can get out of this without lying. He knows he can.

"What happened? What happened that's so scary?"

Kalluto says nothing, waiting for another question to not lie to.

"Kalluto, please answer me."

He doesn't answer.

"Kalluto… are you mentally… mentally ill?"

Kalluto nods.

He doesn't usually give out such information to people, especially people he doesn't know, but this is something he _needs _to get out of.

"Honey… what do you have?"

"Anxiety."

Perfect, just perfect. Although Kalluto's anxiety is really not that bad at all, he knows that this will lead melody to believe that he had some sort of severe anxiety attack and that he had suffered from that. What lead her to believe that he was mentally ill, Kalluto has no clue, but he's just glad to get out of this situation.

Melody rubs his back some more and leans in close, too close for his comfort.

"Would you like me to leave you alone?"

Kalluto nods and hiccups as Melody stands.

When she leaves the room, he smirks.

The innocent are so easy to manipulate.

* * *

Melody shuts the door behind her, feeling still a bit uneasy about Kalluto's off hearbeat.

suspicious.

* * *

**sorry for the short chapter guys but school starts tomorrow and I just want to get this update over with. I hope it doesn't seem rushed. I hope y'all have a nice day!**


	39. Chapter 39

**Alright guys, I'm sorry to say this but I'm probably going to have to change my update schedule. I can only write so much when I'm busy during school, so I apologize if my updates are either short or take forever.**

**In response to:**

**Parasitic Shadow: Thank you! Kalluto is one of my favorites to write in this story, he can be innocent but so cruel, and plus he's prettier than me so I have to worship him lmao. And thank you! My weekend has begun :O**

**Mayu: and you shall see that, just not so soon c;**

**Mi-Chan: awwwww… c: And it must be really interesting to wonder what Lucius's point of view of anything was, and I was really vague when it came to that for a purpose and you'll see why later! And yes, the anime convention was a blast, if you haven't been to one I totally suggest finding one in your local area, you meet such interesting people (not many hxh cosplayers unfortunately, me being one of them) And it's okay, I adore long reviews!**

**Guest: Well, at least he got himself out of the pickle for now…**

**SilverSapphire34523: He's a smart little shit. And poor Feitan, let's see how he deals with this, shall we?**

**jovysanchez17: Melody is such a sweetie. And Fei will tell you all about his thoughts on the subject, don't you worry~**

**Mina: You're welcome, pal! Thank you, I apologise for the wait that these next few updates will cause, school has become a hassle. And like I said, Kalluto is a little shit.**

* * *

Chapter 39

There's really no way Kalluto could have been lying to him.

There's no way Lucius would be so compliant, so understanding and so… so happy with the Chain User if she hadn't lost her memory. She wouldn't have acted so different. She wouldn't keep such an act up for long, either. No, she would have found the perfect opportunity to escape.

He is sure of it.

He groans loudly as he kicks open the entrance door to the mansion. Despite the fact that it is almost four in the morning, the entire Troupe are in the foyer waiting for him, including the Shadowmen; who seem to be quite disappointed that he did not disobey Chrollo and Argo's orders and bring Lucius home immediately.

He avoids eye contact with everyone, and The Troupe understands that he is too angry to be bothered with right now. The Troupe stands to the side, allowing him a path to the stairway. Phinks and Shalnark mutter a few words to him that he is too tired to comprehend, so he ignores it as he reaches the base of the stairway.

But, to Feitan's annoyance, Argo steps out and blocks his path.

"You won't be leaving here until you tell us where Lucius is."

It is made obvious by Argo's tone that Feitan will not be able to escape this situation until he speaks. But, Feitan is far too annoyed with this man to comply just yet. So instead, Feitan just glares back up at him, waiting to see if the old man will act out in attempt to assert his dominance.

"H-Hey… you might want to let him pass, or Lucius might never see _you _again." Says Phinks, cautiously moving away from Feitan and Argo.

Chrollo clears his throat loudly before speaking. "This is a very delicate situation, Argo. I don't think you want to risk losing him in this mission."

The corner of Argo's mouth twitches, and Feitan smirks under his collar, believing that he has given up just when:

_**SMACK!**_

Right across Feitan's face.

Feitan hadn't even seen it coming. With speed that he could compare to Chrollo's, Argo had smacked him across the right cheek, leaving a wide red mark spanning from the bottom of his ear to his right nostril.

The entire Troupe takes a step back now, eyes widened, ready to make a run for it just in case the entire mansion burst into flames.

* * *

Lucius turns in the bed that she shares with Kalluto and flinches when the morning light hits her eyelid and she wraps herself back into the blanket.

She has never felt bliss like this. Such a comfortable environment, such kind people.

She never even knew that a feeling like this existed.

Once her eyes adjust to the light, Lucius raises from the bed and pushes her hair behind her ears when she notices that the bandage around her head had fallen off in her sleep. She winces as her fingertip brushes up against the leathery raw flesh that hides beneath her hair and begins to search the covers, using her hands to feel in and out of the white sheets on her side of the bed, but can find nothing but Kalluto's paper fan, which she gently sets on the table beside her before continuing her search.

When she stands by the end of the bed, scuffling through the layers of sheets, she glances at the pillow she had been using and her face turns white as she touches the back of her head again to see that as she slept last night, she had peeled the scabs off of her head when the bandage fell off and that all the blood from the back of her head had soaked into the pillow.

She then frantically holds the back of her head, hoping that the bleeding isn't too bad as she makes a dash to the bathroom, flicking on the light with a bloodied finger.

She turns her head, checking herself in the mirror.

When she sees how badly she is really bleeding, she instinctively grabs for a wash cloth that hangs with the shower curtain, wondering how she hadn't woken up from the pain.

She wets the wash cloth and hisses as the water makes contact with the flesh, also wondering why and how she is dealing with this so accordingly, as if it was a daily occurrence.

Just how many years of her life has she forgotten? And what has she been doing with her life to make her so used to this kind of pain?

The burn of the water seems to fade as she puts the seat down on the toilet and sits while holding the cloth to her head. She blinks as her vision becomes even fuzzier than it usually is without her glasses and her head sways.

She rests on the toilet with the cloth on the back of her head and listens to the snoring of her roommates when she suddenly becomes very cold.

She finds this feeling very familiar, although she can't remember being in this state. And for some reason, she is very comfortable with it despite the pain.

A bead of sweat drips from the bridge of her nose just when she realizes that this feeling is not okay and that the situation she is in is very, very bad.

She tries to pull herself out of the trance-like state she is in by yelling loudly to attract someone's attention, although she can't understand what comes out of her own mouth. When she does this, she loses her balance on the toilet and tumbles over onto the floor, nearly hitting her head on the base of the tub.

She hears confused mumbling in the bedroom, but her senses are too muted to decipher who was speaking. The mumbling becomes more of a whisper as her system begins to shut down, and the figures who approach her through the bathroom door are just silhouettes as the rest of her sight begins to fail her.

She notices how numb her body actually is when one of the figures grabs her and pulls her out of the bathroom. She can't feel a thing as the figure picks her up and attempts to warm her with their body.

She inhales the figure's fresh scent before closing her eyes.

* * *

"...And Kalluto gave you this information?"

Feitan nods. "He protecting the boy with the silver hair."

Chrollo hums to himself. "I see." He then stands next to Argo, putting a hand on the man's shoulder.

"So she's… she's forgotten about me?" Argo looks down at the floor. "And why couldn't you tell me this last night?!" He yells at Feitan, who is sitting in a leather chair before the desk. Feitan doesn't meet eyes with him and looks away, recalling the night before when Argo had hit him and he did nothing. The troupe had flinched, and watched him as he turned his head away, forcing himself not to act. Mentally restraining himself with the understanding that if he fought back, Feitan would kill him.  
And if Lucius ever did regain her memories, and she did agree to go back home with him, she wouldn't be too happy to find that her "father figure" was killed by the same man who has some stupid crush on her. Likely, he could expect her to attack him after that. Despite the humiliation, Feitan allowed it.

Thinking about future consequences is not something Feitan usually does, he leaves that to Chrollo. However, this mission relies heavily on him, and he can't afford to fuck up.

"She's forgotten about us all." Says Chrollo, walking away from them towards the window and looking out the window, taking in the morning rays. "They've likely given her a completely different story… perhaps they're manipulating her. We can't know until you can give us more information, Feitan."

Feitan bites his lower lip and nods.

"I could threaten the white hair kid, Kalluto will obey."

"Excellent idea. You'll ask for a detailed description of the entire situation, and if he doesn't give it to you, threaten." Chrollo looks back at Argo. "When do you think we should send him out again?"

Argo seems to think for a moment and turns away from them both.

"I do not entirely trust him, but if you truly believe that this is the best course of action, I think letting him leave often to check up on her is a good idea. Then he won't miss details… but I suggest we send him again soon. His absence could give that Kalluto the idea that he's safe to speak up about the situation. If he feels as if he is being constantly surveillanced, he's less likely to betray us."

Chrollo nods. "Very well." He turns back to Feitan. "You'll go out again tonight, understood?"

Feitan gives a short nod, and Argo leaves the room in a hurry, leaving both Chrollo and Feitan in the room alone.

"There one thing I left out."

Chrollo turns his head to the right, studying Feitan's concerned expression before replying.

"And what is that?"

"Kalluto tell me that Lucius is happy there." Feitan says, looking down at the ground. "She is. She smiled so much that she not look like the same person she was before."

"And you saw this yourself? I trust that you were well hidden."

Feitan nods. "But, if she happy there-"

"You don't know if you want to rip her out of that life, right?"

Feitan nods, wondering how Chrollo can just take the words out of his mouth like that.

"Well," Chrollo starts. "...Perhaps we will have to deal with this differently than we thought, hm?"

Feitan looks back up at his leader, confused. "What you mean?"

"You'll see. We need the information before we can act. Best not to get ahead of ourselves."

With that, Chrollo turns and walks out of the room, leaving Feitan to stare off out of the window, allowing the rays of sunlight to warm him as he thought even deeper of the situation.

* * *

"Lucius. Hey, listen to me. You're okay."

Lucius's eyes flutter open and she sucks in as much air as she can while attempting to sit up, finding that she had been laying in someone's lap. And that someone was Kurapika.

Kurapika gently grabs her shoulder, bringing her back down into his lap.

Her teeth clatter as cold sweat drips down her back and her forehead. She is attracted to the warmth of his torso, which she presses her head against.

Her shivering is unstoppable now, and she uses the opportunity to take as much as Kurapika's warmth as she can; she isn't even concerned that he's basically a stranger to her, because he seems willing to help her anyway.

Kurapika seems to understand what she wants, and he pulls the blanket on melody's bed around her shivering body, allowing her to take in as much heat as she needs.

Although he had previously held a grudge against her, he now deems it pointless to be cruel to her; for now at least. He won't know for sure if they are safe with her until she begins to gain her memories, but at the same time he cannot hold it against her when she knows nothing; its not fair to her.

So, when she fell he was the first to react. Melody was the first to hear the thud, so she woke Kalluto and they found Lucius's body slumped on the bathroom floor. They then called for Kurapika, who ordered the rest of them to get medical supplies so that he could stay and wipe the blood from her head and secure a new bandage. He hadn't expected her to be so cold, but perhaps if he didn't act quickly enough, she would have bled out. It was a sort of unspoken apology.

After awhile, she stops shivering and she looks up and pushes away from him. Kurapika notices her discomfort and allows her the distance that she wants, and he stands from the bed.

Under her breath, she mutters. "I am sorry."

Kurapika smiles at her. "Sorry for what? It's not your fault that happened. How do you feel?"

Lucius grabs at her head. "It is painful." She says. "But not anything I cannot handle." She lays on the bed, slowly laying her head down on a fresh pillow. "I apologise for the mess. How did you get rid of it?"

"We just threw the pillow away." Says Kurapika. "We asked for a new one from the man downstairs. Figured he would not notice."

She lays there in silence, quite embarrassed of the way she acted when she clinged to him for warmth. So, she tries to get her mind off of it and try to understand just what happened. "How did I start bleeding?"

"Well, Leorio wondered the same thing. But, we checked your fingernails and found out that you were scratching at your head excessively as you slept. You scraped the bandage off, and a whole layer of skin."

Ah yes, that sounds reasonable. She remembers that it is a habit of hers to scratch at herself when she slept. Any mysterious scabs or bruises on her body when she woke up could be easily debunked by her strange "bedtime behavior" as her father called it when she was young.

"Well, you should rest for now. I'll get you some pain meds so that you can rest much easier."

Kurapika stands from his place on Melody's bed and turns towards the door to the room he shares with Gon and Killua, but Lucius stops him.

"Thank you."

He smiles at her and nods before proceeding into the other room, leaving Lucius to sit there and think.

Maybe he isn't so intimidating afterall.


	40. Chapter 40

**In response to:**

**Mi-Chan: :O I couldn't imagine having to wait two years for a con x-x I would die omg. And I really hope the change of schedule isn't too different for you guys. I feel like I haven't updated in forever. I hope you have a nice day as well!**

**Nyu: Perhaps Kurapika will be a major conflict? **

**BK-207: Okay good, that's good to hear. I've just been so worried about my writing lately since I've been absent for longer periods of time. Thank you!**

**Parasitic Shadow: The wonders have just begun, my friend. I have many more planned c:**

**cm21: If only Kurapika knew just how dangerous a jealous Feitan can be~**

** : Wouldn't it be so awkward if Lucius just suddenly remembered everything like how weird would that be? I think it would be really scary**

**Guest AND SilverSapphire34523:: Let's be honest guys, Kurapika can be the biggest sweetie**

Chapter 40

The dried blood that rested on the back of her head, which was reduced to crusted flesh by the time she got to the shower, now drains streaks of a rusty red color down the tub and into the drain. The water stings on the back of her head, but after she changes the temperature, the heat numbs her injuries and she finds that she'd much rather be burned by the water than feel the throbbing pain on the back of her neck and head. After she is finished, Lucius steps out of the shower and wipes the fogged mirror.

After cleaning her injuries, it appears as if nothing had ever happened to her head. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the long scrapes and scratches on her back.

She sighs and uses a towel that rests on the closed toilet seat to dry herself off before throwing her clothes back on and exiting the bathroom.

She closes the door behind her and is immediately met with the eyes of Melody, Gon, Killua, Kalluto, Leorio and Kurapika; who are all staring at her with concern.

Gon flings his arms around her, clinging to her from the back of her shirt.

"Are you feeling alright now, Joy?" He asks while swinging around. "We all saw what happened, there was blood everywhere and you were on the floor and you were really woozy and saying some stuff but we really couldn't understand… So Kurapika says that we can go to a carnival if you're feeling better!"

Although after the incident she felt quite disconnected from the world and a bit dizzy, she saw the excitement on the boy's face when he mentioned the carnival; and for some reason she found that she could not turn him down. Something about the sparkle in his eye as he spoke to her reminded her of…. someone she knows.

"I believe I am fine now. If you'd like to go, don't let me and my injury hold you. If it makes you feel better to keep me under surveillance-"

"No!" Says Gon sternly, grabbing her hand gently. "You have to come with! Right, Kurapika?" He turns to the blonde seeking agreement, which he receives with a simple nod and a smile sent in her direction.

"Are you completely sure that you're feeling better? We wouldn't want the same accident to happen again." Says Leorio, approaching her with fresh bandages.

She nods. It's true that the pain has not subsided, but she is feeling much better now that she is awake and aware of her surroundings.

A few minutes later, Leorio had instructed her to sit on a bed while he secured the new bandages around her head carefully. While he does this, he hums a soft tune. She finds that she feels very comfortable in the young doctor's presence despite how little she really knows of him. His voice and casual behavior is just soothing.

"You know, when you fell you were playing a violin. Do you play many instruments?"

She assumes that he had started this conversation to break the awkward atmosphere, so she plays along with his small talk hoping to get on his good side and for the sake of politeness.

"I play many. The violin just happens to be my favorite."

He tightens the bandage around her forehead, fastening it in the back while speaking. "Maybe we could get you a new one. The one you had was kinda crushed when you fell."

She thinks for a moment, curling her eyebrows upwards. Was it her own violin? She has never owned her own violin before, surely it had to have been her father's…

Leorio ties the last knot onto the back of her head and fastens it with a safety pin, careful not to prick her in the process. When he is completely finished, he taps her on the shoulder and she stands.

"We're all set and ready to go!."

….

The alleyway in which Feitan walks is crawling with mice, mosquitoes and trash surrounded by red brick walls. A liquor store stands tall to the left and a thrift store stands on the other side. He walks in-between these two buildings to reach a corn field on the other side. The top of a barn rests quietly in the distance, shielding the afternoon sun.

He has approached the no-where, as he likes to call it.

From this point, he must take a long walk to the other part of the no-where. This part is home to the hotel that Lucius is currently staying in with The Chain User, his current destination.

He is well aware that he is acting out of Chrollo's orders, which were to leave at night and only at night; but the little spider cannot help himself. Besides, he won't be acting at all during the day; he'll only be observing. And at night, he will interrogate Kalluto and get the most information out of him that he can.

He feels the burn of the sun on his pale skin, and he pulls his umbrella out of his pocket, using it to shield himself from the hot rays.

Thank goodness that she was left in moderate comfort. If he ever detected that something was wrong last night; Feitan would have pulled her out of the situation immediately. But now that he has a broader point of view, all that he has been doing is conjuring ideas on how to convince her to join him or to jog her memory.

Feitan stops in his tracks when he detects movement coming from behind him followed by the sound of a crunching branch. Whoever had been pursuing him is no amature, they are able to completely hide their presence. But when he spins to check his surroundings, the identity of his pursuer is blatantly obvious as he can see the figure crouched behind a hay-bale that had been placed near the entrance of the cornfield.

Feitan, annoyed, greets the figure.

"Phinks."

Phinks itches the back of his head as he stands, laughing sheepishly and joining him by his side.

"I saw you creeping out of the mansion this morning. I wanted to see what you were up to."

"Go away."

Feitan turns away and continues down the path surrounded by long locks of corn and despite Feitan's cold attitude towards the situation, Phinks follows.

"But maybe I could help."

"Help what? I just checking on her."

Phinks searches for an answer, stepping over Feitan's tiny footprints in the dirt as if trying to keep himself entertained. "I could help you check."

"Tch."

Feitan is well aware that it would take a good bribe to shake Phinks off his ass now, so he just decides to deal with it.

"Fine. But do what I say."

"Understood, captain Feitan."

Beside the cornfield is a busy highway that the two have agreed to stay away from to avoid detection (and being run over by crazy tourists on their way to YorkNew) and as Feitan is watching the cars pass by, a familiar tiny vehicle runs the road behind the many others. And he sees the shine of the Chain User's hair in the driver's seat.

Captain Feitan then gives his first command.

"Run. After that car."

….

She has never seen anything so exciting. Never once has she been in an area so crowded with the freedom to speak to whoever she wanted to. Never once has she been around so many smiling people.

And never once has she seen such strange events.

The tents are shrouded in white and red drapes and underneath them are different booths bearing different people who are doing different things. Everything is different.

The first thing that catches her attention is a man beneath one of the tents who is juggling knives without fear. Kurapika, Gon and Killua notice that she has been staring off at this man, and while the others walk in different directions, Kurapika taps her shoulder.

"Would you like to watch?"

Kurapika has kept in mind what Gon had said to them a few days prior. She was confined and constricted as a child. He can't imagine what it would have been like to miss out on every one of the holiday events that his clan had held when he was a child. And perhaps Gon is right after-all.

Maybe if they can help her feel like family, she'll have a happier life in the end. She'll stay away from the Troupe and maybe- just maybe - she can become a hunter like them. Maybe she can do good in the world.

She looks back at them.

"If you'd rather join the others-"

"They're fine on their own. Let's go."

The others walk ahead of her towards the booth, and she follows them reluctantly towards the man.

She watches the knives go up and fall down in different directions and fly around in awe. She knew what people could do with Nen, but she was more than certain that this man isn't a Nen-user. She wonders if it's even more impressive to people who aren't Nen-users. She's heard of Nen-user's putting on magic shows for money; when the real magic was inside everyone.

All the normal people are blissfully oblivious.

…

Feitan squints off into the crowd of people huddled around the many tents and events that are held near the small town hall which he and Phinks are laying on.

He lays there, shielding his eyes from the sun with one hand and scanning the crowd while they lay on their stomachs on the roof of the building.

"There, there!" Phinks points out into the distance towards a booth harboring a man juggling knives. Beneath the booth in the front row is Lucius.

Feitan almost wants to jump off the building and run to her until he realizes that The Chain User is literally right next to her… and that she isn't his target at the moment.

"But where's…?"

"There."

Near the other side of the carnival, Kalluto's slick black hair sticks out like a sore thumb. He isn't alone, so they cannot pursue him just yet. They'll stay here for hours if they have to just to isolate him and interrogate him. Get all the information they can out of him.

But for now, they wait.

Feitan's attention returns to Lucius, who is staring in awe at the juggling man.

Did she really hit her head that hard? He could do that in his sleep. Is that really that impressive to her…?

Should he start juggling things at random?

….

Lucius is too pre-occupied watching the man juggle to realize the group of girls by a cafe giggling and gawking in her direction. Kurapika turns his head, at first thinking that the maids in front of the cafe were making fun of her, but smiles when they hear their comments.

"She's so tiny!"

"She looks like a little dolly, Oh my gosh."

Gon looks over his shoulder at the girls dressed in maid outfits sitting at a booth in front of a cafe. He too at first believed that they were making fun of her. Gallantly, he walks on over towards the six maids.

"What are you saying about my friend?"

The girls seem caught off guard and shy away from him while the taller dark skinned girl directly behind the booth stands.

She is a muscular girl, seemingly out of place in her black and white frilly maid outfit, with dark freckles scattered around her body and sprinkled over the bridge of her nose. She speaks to him with a surprisingly feminine voice.

"Do you know her? Could we talk to her?"

Gon folds his arms. "Not if you're gonna be mean."

The girl seems taken aback. "...Mean? I want to hire her for being so cute!"

"...Oh?"

Gon turns to speak to Kurapika just to see that he's already directly behind him.

"What do you think?"

Kurapika thinks for a moment.

"I think… I think it's a great idea."

…

**Okay guys I'm really sorry but this is all I can do. I need to take like a break for like a week. Some real shit has been going on in my personal life and I just have this big writer's block and I just need to update now and take a break. I promise not to abandon this story, so don't worry I just need to take a little vacation. Thank you for reading, take care guys.**


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

**Hey guys, I just want to apologise for my time away, I just was having a tough time and I think I took a well deserved break. I decided the break was over when loyalty-and-devotion sent a very, very kind review that made me miss writing**

**So, in response to:**

**loyalty-and-devotion****: you are honestly such a sweetie! Thank you so, so much. I honestly couldn't ever imagine someone binge reading any of my fics, this made me feel so happy to read asdfghjkl; Thank you, sweetie!**

**SilverSapphire34523:** **You'll see ;)**

**jovysanchez17****: Juggling is cool I wish I could juggle. I just usually end up throwing random stuff around. "juggling"**

**Guest/ RoseCompas: This made my day too, thank you for your concern, sweet-pea! You guys are all so nice I wish I was all your friends I would make you nice things and make your day happy and ah ;-;**

**Mi-Chan: Yeah, I think Feitan would be the last person I'd want stalking me. But if he was concerned for me, maybe that would be even scarier?**

* * *

Chapter 41

A redheaded maid sneaks a tape measure around Lucius's waist while others wrapped gently around her wrists, neck, bust and hips, while a tall, brunette maid with glasses scribbles down measurements onto a note pad.

Lucius clears her throat, shifting her weight uncomfortably as the five maids surround her.

"Alright girls, calm down. Don't want to scare her away now." Says the taller, darker skinned maid who is sitting at the booth watching the five other maids crowd around Lucius.

The woman works with the brunette, crunching numbers and sketching out minor details on the notepad. It is clear to Lucius that the darker skinned female is the leader of operations of the small establishment behind the booth. She is dominant, loud, and kind hearted in nature. And given her lean structure, she appears to be fierce and strong; and for a moment, before she is distracted, Lucius swears she knows her face from somewhere.

Once the maids around her scatter, the redheaded maid extends her hand for Lucius to shake.

"Hi, I'm Aya."

Lucius takes her hand gently, offering the girl a simple nod.

"Lucius."

"You're kind of quiet, aren't you?" Aya giggles and twirls around her. "I almost didn't notice your cute little accent at first!"

Lucius blinks, unsure what to say. Then, Aya leaned in close behind her, whispering in her ear and pointing ahead of them both towards Kurapika, who is waiting for Lucius on the other side of the street.

"Who's that?"

Without thinking, Lucius answers her. "He is a f-" She catches herself and fixes her relaxed posture, standing stiff and upright. "..._Acquaintance_ of mine." She blinks and moves her gaze from Kurapika and away from Aya. In return, Aya smirks and pushes Lucius towards Kurapika.

"Introduce me! I'd love to meet your friends!"

Giving in to Aya's playful gesture, feeling quite comfortable around the chubby redhead, she approaches Kurapika.

Gon, who is standing behind him, smiles.

"Are you already finished Joy?" Asks Gon gleefully, brightening in her presence. "Kurapika says after this, we'll eat and go home!"

Lucius opens her mouth to answer, but Aya answers for her, clinging to Lucius's arm.

"Lucius just wanted to introduce me to her friends." She smiles widely at the two while extending her hand towards Kurapika.

"My name is Aya, and you are?"

Kurapika clears his throat, seeming a tad uncomfortable under Aya's starlight gaze. He answers for her, but does not take her hand to shake.

"Kurapika."

Aya seems disappointed in Kurapika's dull response, and moves her attention to Gon.

Kurapika sighs as Gon gives Aya a rather enthusiastic and lengthy introduction, and lucius listens and watches a wide-eyed Aya return his enthusiasm in response to his.

"So it seems you've made a friend…" Kurapika mutters.

Lucius looks back at the other maids sitting back at the booth in front of the cafe.

"...So it seems."

* * *

Feitan and Phinks watch the familiar car depart from the carnival at roughly 5 o' clock p.m. and stand from their perch on a rooftop, heads turning as the car passes. They make sure to shield their presences until the car is out of their view.

"...So, they're gone now." Phinks turns to Feitan. "What should we do?"

Feitan jumps from the rooftop into an alleyway, being sure to stay out of sight.

Phinks joins him.

"I know where they stay." Feitan replies, walking down the alleyway. I show you later. They left in opposite direction."

"So we'll wait til later, like boss's orders?"

Feitan nods in response.

"So what do we do now?"

The two spiders look at each other, and Phinks's stomach growls.

Feitan raises an eyebrow.

* * *

After ordering their food, all but Kurapika finds a seat in the restaurant, which Gon had insisted in showing Lucius.

While waiting for everyone's orders, Melody approaches him with a worried smile. Melody greets him quietly and stands beside him silently. Kurapika pays close attention to her awkward movements and realizes something is wrong.

"How are you, Melody?"

He knows better than to bluntly ask her what exactly is troubling her; in the past it has never worked. However, when confronted, Melody spills her thoughts.

"I think Kalluto is hiding something."

Kurapika looks back at the table where the group has settled, specifically at a laughing Kalluto before looking back at Melody.

"Why do you say that?"

Melody gives a hushed explanation about how Kalluto acted the night before. From this, Kurapika understands that her main concern is Kalluto's strange heartbeat, and now his heart beats much faster around her after she confronted him, which leads her to suspect betrayal on his part.

Kurapika nods, expressionless, although he feels anger deep inside. He speaks in a calm tone.

"Keep an eye on him. I trust you'll report to me if you hear anything strange."

"You're asking me to spy on him?"

"What else can we do?" Kurapika turns to face her, whispering. "Going on a man hunt isn't quite the wisest idea, I suspect Killua would rush to his brother's defense. So, we'll need proof before anything else. Understood?"

Melody nods.

"And are you sure allowing Lucius a job is wise?"

"No. In fact, it's probably the dumbest thing I've done as of late… but I agree with Gon. Maybe we can give her a better life… by showing her how bright the world can be. From what I understand, her relationship with her father was abusive." He sighs, looking down. "Maybe we can show her a life of crime isn't worth it. And it will work out for all of us."

"That is very wishful thinking."

"I know" Kurapika replies, ashamed to look at her. "It's probably ridiculous, I'm probably making a mistake-"

Melody puts a hand on Kurapika's shoulder and smiles.

"I think it's working, look."

Melody motions for Kurapika to notice the laughter coming from the table. Even Lucius, who is usually stoic and stiff and seemingly uncomfortable, is even laughing along herself.

Kurapika looks back at Melody, then to the floor and smiles.

"Although the world isn't so bright at the moment, maybe it will be even brighter in the near future."

* * *

**I apologise for the shorter chapter, but I just kind of wanted to announce my arrival after being gone for so long. Thanks guys for reading.**


	42. Chapter 42

**Hey guys! I'm sorry I didn't mention this before, but for the sake of my dwindling sanity, I'm going to have to post less often, but that does mean more time for me to plug up any plot holes, add any extra details etc. **

**In response to:**

**Loyalty-and-devotion:** **Thank you! I'm sure she likes it, if she didn't I'm not sure her attitude would be so content. maybe this chapter will let you look into that more?**

**Mina: I'm sorry for being gone so long! Thank you, and Lucius and Feitan will eventually meet, dont you worry.**

* * *

Chapter 42

Kurapika sits alone in his assigned hotel room at a table that he had moved in between the two beds in the back of the room near the window the previous night. It is roughly 9:42pm and the only light in the room is provided by the moon that can be seen through the open window. In his hands is a newspaper. However, he is not reading it. He had stopped reading it about an hour ago, when his thoughts consumed him.

He had initially picked it up in the lobby to pass time, but after an hour he found that he was too tired to read, but not too tired to think. So here he sits, alone in a hotel room, thinking.

In fact, it seemed that thinking has been all he could do as of late. And, under normal circumstances, he would be fine with that. But instead he finds that his deep thinking disturbs him. And, perhaps, it was because he only has one thing on his mind.

Betrayal.

Earlier that night at the restaurant, Melody had brought her concerns to him. He had thought only briefly of Kalluto taking advantage of his trust, but these thoughts were silenced when he saw Kalluto interact with Killua, and it just made sense to him to assume that Kalluto was telling the sincere truth. But now that Melody has expressed her personal concerns, he can only think about what is to come.

Should he act?

No, he simply can't. Or, at least, not at the moment. Like he said to Melody, he cannot go out on a man hunt without possibly angering Killua. And he already ruled out the option of relocation, if Kalluto did have contact with the Troupe, that action would only seem threatening in their eyes.

Kurapika blinks and looks across the room towards the door, which is cracked open slightly. Between the door and the wall, a pair of icy blue eyes peer at him curiously. He jumps a bit and hides his face away from her, hoping that she has not noticed his eyes burning red.

"L-Lucius… do you need something?"

Lucius steps out into the room and closes the door behind her, her expression as unreadable as always. She steps close to the table he sits at, and he hides his face away from the moonlight pouring in from the window.

"Yes, actually… I have a question for you."

He glances up and notices something off about her posture. Her neutral expression is normal, however, she is holding her hands out in front of her, tugging at her fingers and rubbing her wrist, like you'd expect from someone who is guilty of a crime.

"Is something the matter?"

She looks down and acknowledges her awkward behavior and separates her hands. Her answer for him is quite blunt.

"Why have you not punished me yet?"

He raises an eyebrow and sits back further in his chair so that he may study her face while the shadows of the room mask his piercing red gaze. Her expression is now eerily blank, along with her voice as though it is a normal everyday topic to her.

"Punish you? For what?"

"Am I not a criminal?"

Her response is instantaneous, as if she expected him to say that before he even said it.

"Criminal… you're talking about your past?" he closes his eyes and rests his chin on his hand. "We know nothing about you, so it would be unfair for me to punish you." He sighs. "And I can't assume that your crimes add up to the Troupe's. You've proven yourself worthy of my protection from anything from your past that may harm you." He smiles at her. "That was our deal, right?"

She seems to ponder this for a moment. Then, she suddenly clenches her fists hard and her eyes begin to flash about the room. Kurapika hadn't expected that kind of reaction, and he certainly did not expect an outburst out of her, either.

"I don't deserve your kindness!"

Kurapika lurches back into his chair as if her cry had physically pushed him back. His smile fades when he notices that her face is turned away from him. Although she hides her eyes, he can see the tears fall from her cheeks. A very odd sight considering her usual nature. And at the same time, it was very upsetting for him to watch.

"Lucius I-"

"No." Her voice cracks as she says this. She pauses and attempts to steady herself, to calm herself. She looks him in the eyes. It takes her a moment to do so, but eventually her normal expression has returned, but she doesn't bother to wipe the falling tears. "I know the person I was. I know who I was…" She stands upright again. "You'll be disappointed to hear that it is not a memory that I am remembering. But it is a song."

"...A song?" Kurapika isn't sure what to say, so he can only watch uncomfortably as she continues to explain herself in a manner that disturbed him far more than his thoughts. Her eyes begged for sympathy and comfort, but her body language and expression remained unreadable, standing as if she could never be knocked from her feet with cold defiance of her real emotions.

Why does she not allow herself to express her true feelings?

He sits in silence as she continued with no emotion in her voice.

"You see, I used to write music. I would usually write for survival purposes, however…" she pushes a stray hair behind her ear and takes a moment to translate her thoughts. "On the rare occasion that I would not write to avoid punishment, I would write to reflect my inner emotions. And what I am hearing in my head, over and over… it must mean that my thoughts at the time must have been truly grotesque. I know from the pattern of the rhythm, that I must have been truly despicable. So please believe me when I say that I must be a far more horrible being than I was in the past that I remember."

Kurapika looks down, processing her words. In summary, she thinks that something happened in her past that warped her from someone very obedient to someone evil and dominant.

He just can not agree with that.

He smiles and stands from his spot behind the table.

"No."

At this point, his eyes have become soft, blue, and sympathetic. He is hoping to destroy this shell of hers, to bring her emotions into the open and save her from all the blame and pain she is inflicting on herself.

She blinks her bubbling eyes, lips slightly parting.

"I do not understand." Her accent thickens, and Kurapika can tell that she is becoming increasingly flustered. "You say that I was working alongside truly horrible people. Yet… you are kind to me. You say that these people are powerful… then how do you not fear me? ...Why do you not believe me?"

He takes a moment to study her body language again before answering. She is stressing to keep upright at this point, that much is certain. And her hands, which grip the sides of her dress tightly are shaking slightly, as if she is trying with all her might to stay completely still.

"Because the person you used to be is dead now." He smiles as he said this. "You were reborn the second your head hit the floor in the Auselor hotel. Understood?"

He admits to himself that he may have been a bit too forward, but he just hopes that it will help her cope. She seems to understand, and a little smile forms on her once neutral expression.

"I would like for you to listen to the song… sometime."

* * *

Kalluto is beginning to get quite annoyed with being put on the spot. He could only hope that it will not become an annual event as he stares back into Phinks and Feitan's eyes.

Threateningly, Feitan flicks a pocket knife around in his fingers, eyeing Kalluto with a glare that only meant business, or nothing.

"Yeah, you've got my word. I'll answer any question you throw at me… just let me lock the door first."

Phinks and Feitan sit on one of the beds near the window, and Feitan stares at the bed across the room.

He wonders if that is where Lucius will sleep tonight.

He rolls his head, trying his best to relax his jumping nerves. It's hard being so close to her, and not being able to do anything. She could be in the next room over from him, and he would never know. He won't know.

Kalluto passes his field of vision, sitting on the bed across from them.

"If this is going to work like we want it to, we'll have to stay quiet." Kalluto whispers, eyeing the door to the other room cautiously.

Feitan glances at Phinks and nods.

Phinks puts a single finger up. "First thing's first. what's Lucius's current status?"

"She's okay. Last time I saw her about fifteen minutes ago, she was playing a card game with my brother and his friend."

Feitan raises an eyebrow, as if he wasn't satisfied with Kalluto's answer. This alarmed him, and Kalluto quickly rummaged through his brain for something else he could possibly say about her.

"S-She hasn't remembered anything yet, as far as I know… a-and shes getting along with anyone. And… Oh! She's getting a job soon."

Feitan narrows his eyes. A job? He clenches his cloak between his fingertips.

Why?

Feitan assumes that the Chain User is in this to use Lucius as a tool to gain money after manipulating her into believing that she is someone that she is not.

Or at least, that is his theory.

"Two." Phinks holds up another finger. "What is the Chain User's plans?" Phinks then glances at Feitan.

He must have sensed his anger.

Kalluto exhales, looking quite tense under Feitan's stern, unmoving stare. "Nothing yet. He's rather random, but he's strategic under pressure. Right now, their focus is Lucius. They've got it in their heads that she can become a better person. But, she only remembers her late childhood, late teens I would say. Who knows how old she is in her mind."

Feitan closes his eyes and exhales. A strange rush of discomfort and warmth rushes upon him, burning his pale skin as he tensed. Not only does the facts further prove his theory, he is now feeling a whole new emotion entirely with this new given information. It makes his quite curious.

The only explanation of this newfound emotion that he can offer himself is the memory of Lucius's limp body bathing in blood on the floor below the balcony.

But why?

Feitan stands and extends three fingers towards Kalluto.

"Three. What information did you give Chain User?"

Kalluto swallows hard. To them, any answer could be the wrong answer. Kalluto knew all too well that Feitan would have his head if he heard something he didn't like. Thankfully, he has thought about that before Feitan nearly killed him the first time they interacted after the debutante.

He chooses his words as carefully as he could.

"I told them that I had no idea how to get to the mansion in the forest."

Feitan and Phinks look at each other with their mouths slightly agape. Phinks stands quickly to his feet and offers Kalluto an angry grimace.

All the color flushes from Kalluto's face.

He blew it.

"Why would you tell them that the mansion was in a forest in the first place?! It's not hard to find the forest near YorkNew, what the fuck is wrong with you, little punk?!" Phinks grips his right fist tightly in his left hand and stands. "You think I _won't _kill you?!

Kalluto puts up his hands in defense, waving them frantically.

"No, no no! Listen, okay? I wasn't finished!"

Phinks cracks his knuckles and steps threateningly close to Kalluto, but Feitan's hand grabs him by the shoulder, stopping him from advancing any further.

"One strike."

Kalluto blinks, unable to understand Feitan's meaning.

"What?"

"he means you had three strikes to begin with." Phinks explains, spitting on the floor in front of Kalluto's feet. "Two more, and you're dead."

Kalluto gulps and bites his lip.

That was close.

"I-I was just going to say-"

"Don't care." Says Feitan, who has now moved from the bed to the window.

It is true that Feitan was angered by the amount of information he had given The Chain User, but this was a system he used often. Only a small handful of his victims have ever reached the third strike, although most of them are usually killed anyway. It was a helpful system that gave him the results he wanted. And he was planning to use this system to get the best performance out of Kalluto.

Phinks follows after him.

"You've only got two more chances to fuck up."

And with that, Phinks and Feitan jump out of the window of the hotel room, leaving Kalluto feeling completely alone.

* * *

Melody walks in to Gon and Killua's hotel room and sets a book down onto a nightstand beside one of the beds before stopping dead in her tracks.

Is that talking she hears?

She could have sworn that she heard unfamiliar voices coming from the room that she shares with Kalluto and Lucius. But suddenly, it stopped. She wasn't given enough time to focus on the voices, but she was sure she heard something along the lines of: "three strikes, you're dead."

She decides she should check for herself, despite the horrible unsettling feeling swarming around the pit of her stomach. Melody reaches for the doorknob, but just as she is about to turn it, the door swings open and Kalluto comes face-to-face with Melody.

He jumped back, and the moment he set eyes on her, his heart began to throb. And Melody heard this, and knew immediately that something truly horrible must be happening behind the scenes.

"K-Kalluto… were you... speaking to someone in there?"


	43. Chapter 43

**Hey guys, I'm back. Sorry about the long updates, I have other stuff to tend to, but I'll never forget to update eventually, so don't worry about that. I've been dealing with especially stressful events as of late. I'm aware how long it's been but I promise I won't ever abandon this fic.**

**In response to: **

**SilverSapphire34523: No problem! You're not required to review, but it does help for the feedback! Thank you!**

**Mina: At least he's smart enough to get himself out of *most* pickles.**

**Luminaaa: He's quite a cutie for a tiny psychopath**

* * *

Chapter 43

Feitan walks calmly down the candle-lit hallway with his arms behind his back, his stare locked onto the door ahead of him at the end of the hall. He was told by Chrollo to report to Argo's study after he returned, but he finds himself beginning to hesitate. It certainly isn't worth being nagged at again.

While he stands and stares at the closed door, it occurs to him that Argo seemingly has no idea that by going out everyday to check on his "daughter", Feitan is putting his own life at risk. The Chain User was the one who put an end to Uvogin and Bonolenov's lives, not to mention that he was also capable of sealing Chrollo's Nen, which _was _impressive, to say the least. And Argo, who is blinded by the absence of Lucius, forgot all about the reason the Troupe was here in the first place.

The least Argo could do was thank him for his service, but even if he did, Feitan wouldn't care much for it anyway. Getting Lucius back was at the top of his priorities, considering he can't get it off of his mind.

He looks down at his feet, time to get this over with.

* * *

Melody felt fear, what exactly was it she heard? Whatever it was, it certainly wasn't Kalluto's voice. It was two voices. Two very, very, familiar voices.

Who those voices belonged to, she can't remember. She must have been standing there for at least five minutes now after the room had gone silent in complete shock.

The door clicks open and Kalluto pokes his head out. His heartbeat is thudding, and guilt is written all over his pale complexion. The two looked at each other with a sort of slight understanding. They are both paralyzed, looking into each other's eyes with the same expression, but different emotions. There is a brief understanding in their eyes, and Melody grabs at her chest with bubbling eyes.

She already knows what happened.

"K-...Kurapika…"

Kalluto reaches for her shoulders, one hand swiftly covering her mouth.

"No, no! Please, don't shout I'm begging you! Something horrible will happen!"

Melody struggles in his grip and shakes violently. Tears hit Kalluto's hand. This is the moment that Kalluto realizes, that this could be the end to it all. The end to all of his hard work. Not to mention, he actually grew a liking to this new family of his, with Killua's friends. And now, it could mean the end. The absolute end.

Melody's muffled screams turn to grunts under Kalluto's hand.

"Please, it's life or death. Don't scream. They never make empty threats."

It takes Melody a moment to collect herself, and when she finally does Kalluto removes his hand, fully expecting her to scream.

But she doesn't.

"Good…nothing will happen, I promise. I just need you-"

_**FWAP!**_

The back of Melody's hand leaves a stinging red bruise on Kalluto's cheek. The assassin within tells him to react immediately and kill her, but he knows that doing such a thing would bring an even greater consequence. So, digging nails into his palm, he sits there with his eyes shut. He knows he deserves a beating anyway. But the only thing to follow is quiet sobbing.

"Why… *hic* why wouldn't you... Just tell me…." Melody holds her face in her hands and rests her body against the wall. Kalluto knows her as a sweet, sensitive, innocent soul, who must be terrified. She never asked to be a part of any of this.

He didn't pay attention to his sudden remorse.

"Listen… Melody, we can't tell Kurapika." Kalluto grabs one of her hands, and she looks at him with puffy eyes. "I can't tell you anything. But I can tell you that if anyone finds out, we'll all be dead. "

His thoughts drifted to feitan. He's an unpredictable one, but if he's really in love with Lucius, then is it really a threat at all? Certainly Phinks meant it, but would Feitan take part in it? If he's really in love with her, would he kill them with the knowledge that she'd hate him for it?

"They threatened you… right?" Melody wipes her tears and shakes her head. She knows there isn't possibly anything they can do. This isn't a mistake. In actuality, Kalluto was doing his best to keep them all safe. "I wish I was strong like you, so I could do something…"

Kalluto shook his head.

"Doing nothing doesn't make you weak."

Melody looked away.

"There's nothing I can do, so I'll do nothing."

Kalluto gave her a bittersweet smile.

* * *

"Just kill the kimono kid, he's getting on my nerves." Argo says after hearing Feitan's explanation, crossing his arms. Chrollo stands behind him looking out the window into the courtyard.

"That may not be wise. Harming someone Lucius is close to won't make her want to come back with us, will it?" Chrollo's charming eyes glance at Feitan for a moment. "May I suggest a different approach?"

"And what would that be?" Argo turns to Chrollo, whose eyes glint with a hint of mischief.

"What if she got to know Feitan all over again?" Chrollo gives a charming smile off into Argo's direction. "If they started over, what if she agreed to come home to her family, and he would take her there? She wouldn't have to know anything of the Troupe." Chrollo moves from behind Argo to behind Feitan, putting his hands on his torturer's shoulders. "We could disguise him, and maybe make him a bit more appealing in her eyes."

Feitan's head snaps to look at Chrollo.

Make him more appealing? What the hell does that mean?! Wherever this was going, he certainly doesn't like the sound of it at all.

"I've never heard Lucius talk about her preference in men, however I do believe Rei may know more about that sort of thing than I would. But, you won't act upon this approach until I say so. For the time being, you'll simply watch her. I'm not sure I like the sound of this little runt trying to seduce my daughter in order to bring her back here."

Feitan rolls his eyes. Old man just had to be so difficult. And why the hell is Chrollo being so compliant? And "seduce" her? Does Argo really take him for a man whore? He doesn't even know what's going on anymore.

"Oh my, don't say it like that, Argo. I simply meant-"

"I know what you meant."

Chrollo narrowed his eyes, Feitan could feel sudden wrath in the hands that held his shoulders.

"Is that so? Well, then. What do you suppose we should do for the time being?" Feitan gives a smug smirk underneath his collar. Chrollo must finally be annoyed with his "friend's" power trip.

"He mentioned she got a job at a maid cafe. That disgusts me. She's hardly family anymore, but do what you will until she regains her memories." Argo stands from his desk and gives Chrollo a respectful nod before turning away from the two towards the door. "she'll be ever so loyal then."

Feitan bit his bottom lip, forcing himself to keep quiet until the man had left the room before spatting a quick insult in his own language at the closed door. Chrollo chuckles.

"My, he's getting quite aggravating." Chrollo stands still at his side. "What do you think, Feitan?"

"Annoying" Feitan replies, standing. Although he wasn't the one insulted, he felt the blow for her. How dare he? The Shadowmen, or at least the few he got to meet, seems tightly knit. And, even if he disliked most of them, they reminded him of the Troupe. Although they were more of a society, and the Troupe were considered more of a gang, there were some considerable similarities between the two. And, to say that Lucius was hardly a part of that hit him like an insult to a deceased loved one.

In retrospect, he hadn't felt that once in his life. But now, he assumes that it must be how it feels.

He reflects on a much more complicated time of his life, wondering if he has ever truly felt it. While in this state of deep thought, Chrollo leaves him alone in Argo's office. Feitan stands there, staring at the books ahead that sat on a shelf.

He furrows his brow. There used to be a time when he was bothered by having a lack of original identity, so he made himself one. He used to be a mindless being, motivated by nothing but survival, until…

The doorknob to the office begins to shake and jiggle. He snaps out of his thoughts and eyes the door curiously as it begins to creak open. It stops about a quarter of the way in, the bottom grinding against the red and gold worn rug. He stands there with his head tilted, wondering if it had just been a breeze until a head of bright silvery hair pokes out, looking at him with bright sparkling eyes devoid of fear.

Ume jumps out of the doorway into the room, her bare feet digging into the carpet.

Feitan doesn't move, regarding the little girl carefully.

Ume likely found this as a welcome to approach him. She waddled over to him slowly and stopped a few feet away, looking up at him with her mouth slightly parted. Feitan takes a step back, knowing very well that he can't just get rid of her. Not knowing what else he can do, he stands there, hoping she doesn't touch him.

"Are you the one who's gonna bring Lu home?"

Feitan blinks, and quickly shakes his head.

"No."

She watches him move away from her towards the door.

"Yeah-huh." She says, following him with her eyes as he moves around her cautiously. "I heard you tell daddy. I also heard-"

**-SLAM!**

Feitan walks a significantly faster pace down the hallway away from the office, looking back to make sure she hadn't followed him.

The hallway was slightly darker than usual, brightened only by the moonlight pouring through the windows and the candles suspended on the walls. He grabs a candle and holds it the rest of the way down the hall. Its silent in the mansion, and he assumes the others have went to bed. That is, until he crosses paths with Nobunaga.

Accompanied by Ume.

He stops, confused. Looking back to the door to Argo's office, which has remained closed, he wonders how the hell she had managed to do that. Nobunaga looks up at him, smiling.

"A-Ah, you may not want to play with him, Ume. He's not very nice." Nobunaga looks at Feitan with a hint of nervousness within his hesitation. The girl looks at Feitan and smiles. He looks at Nobunaga with an unamused look, shaking his head.

"Fei-tan!" She exclaims happily, wobbling over to him excitedly. Nobunaga reaches out to stop her, grabbing her forearm before she can go any further.

"He really isn't nice." Nobunaga says sternly, not letting go. "He doesn't want-"

"I know." She says, standing still. "I know he doesn't want to play with me." She looks at Feitan with a very sincere expression, which seems unfitting for her innocent, immature facial features. "I don't think he's nice either." She looks back at Feitan. "But he said he's going to find Lu."

Feitan raises an eyebrow and turns to walk away, he feels rather tired anyway and would rather not deal with the brat. Besides, Nobunaga knows how to deal with children. But before he can leave, little fingers brush against the tips of his own.

He must have jumped back ten feet. She stands there, staring at him with empty eyes. An expression familiar to him, an expression only given by Lucius herself. Feitan feels a little disgusted. Children are his least favorite thing in the world, and if he could he'd rid the world of them. However, just remembering how Lucius interacted with the little one made him think twice. He just can't believe, after weeks of her running away and avoiding him, she had just reached for his hand.

Gross.

She, again, smiles brightly at him. "Lucius likes dolls." She says before turning back to Nobunaga and trotting off.

* * *

**Sorry guys if it wasn't my usual best and I'm so so so sorry for my long as hell hiatus. I had to deal with a lot within that time period, a lot of me has changed. But some of you are still very loyal. Thank you to Luminaaa for getting me out of my funk. Love you guys!**


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